The Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD variant will be produced in Giga Shanghai soon. Tesla’s Shanghai factory has just come back from a long break following the Spring Festival and the coronavirus outbreak. Now, Tesla China is revving for action.
News about the China-made Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD broke after the vehicle was listed on the official China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology website. The Model 3 depicted on the Ministry’s website is registered to the production address, 5000 Jiangshan Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, which is Tesla China’s factory address.
The Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD registered at China’s MIIT is slightly different than the one produced in the United States, since the locally-made vehicle's curb weight stands at 1745 kg. In contrast, the Long Range RWD Model 3 made in Fremont has a curb weight of 1726 kg.
Credit: MIIT of the People's Republic of China
The weight difference between the US and China-made vehicles may be attributed to the different battery cells in the two Model 3 LR RWD variants. The batteries used in the Long Range RWD made in Fremont are made by Panasonic in Giga Nevada. On the other hand, Tesla has reportedly partnered with CATL, a China-based battery company, to supply battery cells for its MIC Model 3 vehicles. LG Chem is also reportedly tapped by Tesla for Giga Shanghai's battery supply.
CATL confirmed its partnership with Tesla earlier this month. The China-based battery manufacturer signed a two-year supply agreement with the EV automaker, which is valid starting July 1, 2020 up to June 30, 2022. According to Quartz, CATL has become the world’s largest producer of lithium-ion batteries as of 2019.
Currently, Giga Shanghai only produces and delivers the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, which has been garnering quite some attention in the Chinese market. Giga Shanghai resumed operations on February 10, following a long holiday break and a short mandatory shutdown issued by the Chinese government due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Tesla China is expected to reopen its stores' doors on February 17, which may be followed by an influx of MIC Model 3 deliveries. As for the China-made Model 3 LR RWD, it is unknown when Giga Shanghai will start production of the all-electric sedan at the moment. Tesla China may prioritize the production of the Model 3 Standard Range Plus first to make up for the backlog from the holiday and shut down from the coronavirus.
Featured Image Credit: Tesla China
Follow @PurplePanda88
