Tesla China has officially started Made-in-China Model 3 delivery today, January 7, one year after Elon Musk broke ground on Gigafacotry 3. At the event, it was announced that MIC Model Y preorders were now available in China. So, Gigafactory 3 kicked off the new year with a bang.
Elon Musk arrived at Gigafactory 3 earlier in the day to attend Tesla China's MIC Model 3 delivery event. The Tesla CEO came in a Model X, befitting his position in the next-gen car company. Before the event, he spent time with Tesla executives--and employees taking fun pictures.
When the event started Elon Musk walked with the Vice Mayor of Shanghai Ying Yong, who was also present at Gigafactory 3. Vice Mayor Ying Yong made a speech at the event. He expressed his eagerness to work with Tesla China on the MIC Model Y. Preorders for Tesla China's crossover were announced during the event.
After the Vice Mayor of Shanghai, Elon Musk went up on stage and made a speech. He revealed how impressed he was with Tesla China's rapid progress and expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government and the Shanghai local government for their support for Gigafactory 3.
After his speech and some pictures, Elon Musk explained Tesla China's Model Y program. He explained that the Model Y is an affordable SUV the same way as the Model 3 was an affordable sedan.
Musk further explained that he believed that the Model Y will have more demand than the rest of Tesla's cars combined. The Model Y will have advanced manufacturing technologies that will be revealed in the future. Musk shared that Tesla is constantly trying to improve the machines that build machines.
After Musk explained the Model Y to the people at the event, the Shanhai Mayor and Musk proceeded to pour what seemed like champagne into a large letter "Y."
Credit: @jsrdctz/Twitter
Credit: @jsrdctz/Twitter
After a short break, Elon Musk went back on stage. Dressed in a Gigafactory 3 shirt, Musk did a little happy dance for everyone at the event, which really hyped up the crowd. Free and fun Elon Musk danced to the support of the hollering GF3 crowd, to which he only had one thing to say: "Not boring!"
After his performance, Musk gave GF3 workers some sage advice about being quirky in the workplace. Musk said he believed that while Tesla workers need to work hard, they should also have fun. "I mean look at me," the Tesla CEO said.
A lucky father-daughter team and a single man accepted the first official delivery of the MIC Model 3. Elon Musk seemed more than happy and eager to give the reservation holders their locally-made Model 3s and took pictures with them.
The first two MIC Model 3s delivered were a pearl white and midnight silver in color. Then Elon Musk proceeded to hand-deliver other vehicles to lucky reservation holders who also got the chance to talk with him and take a picture with Tesla's CEO.
Musk's patience and excitement for each person he delivered the first batch of MIC Model 3s to revealed why he's such a popular CEO and why the community loves him. For his part, Musk seemed to really enjoy the event.
After a couple of MIC Model 3s were delivered by Elon Musk, he thanked the early adopters of Tesla for their support. He reminded everyone that the Model 3 wouldn't be possible if it weren't for the customers of the Model S and Model X. Musk really emphasized the significance of early Tesla adopters. He explained that new technology can be hard to accept.
Then Musk said that he thought it would be really cool to create a design engineering center in China. The CEO shared that he looked forward to Gigafactory 3 making future Tesla models. Musk also hinted at the possibility of a new Tesla vehicle designed and made in China, which could be distributed globally.
Credit: @jsrdctz/Twitter
In Tesla's Q4 2019 results, the EV automaker stated that GF3 reached a run-rate of 3,000 MIC Model 3s a week. It also announced that the Shanghai factory stared local battery pack production in December.
"We continue to focus on expanding production in both the US as well as our newly launched facility in
After Tesla China announced the MIC Model 3's price reduction, employees started sharing the news via their social media accounts. The strong demand for Tesla's affordable all-electric sedan when preorder sites for the MIC Model 3 crashed due to the influx of people trying to order the vehicle.
As of now Tesla showrooms are busy bees trying to get all their customers into a Tesla vehicle, at least for a test drive. Some have suggested booking test drives during the weekday to customers as weekends tend to be fully booked.
Right after the New Year, Tesla China reduced the price of Gigafactory 3's MIC Model 3 to RMB299,050 (US$42,900). The price point seems agree with consumers interested in purchasing Tesla's locally-made sedan. There have been reports of MIC Model 3 customers flooding Tesla showrooms in China.
Credit: @jsrdctz/Twitter
After Tesla China announced the MIC Model 3's price reduction, employees started sharing the news via their social media accounts. The strong demand for Tesla's affordable all-electric sedan when preorder sites for the MIC Model 3 crashed due to the influx of people trying to order the vehicle.
As of now Tesla showrooms are busy bees trying to get all their customers into a Tesla vehicle, at least for a test drive. Some have suggested booking test drives during the weekday to customers as weekends tend to be fully booked.
Tesla's Shanghai HQ also announced that it would be reducing the price of paint options--including the China Red paint--and its popular 19-inch Sport Wheels. The automaker's Home Charging package also decreased in price.
Gigafactory 3 has evolved from a mud field into a well-functioning Tesla factory in just one year since Elon Musk broke ground on the site in January 7, 2019. Tesla's Shanghai HQ has had to endure a lot of criticisms from TSLAQ and other skeptics of the EV automaker but seems to have evaded all the bad energy thrown its way.
Tesla China initially held a ceremonial MIC Model 3 delivery event on December 30, 2019. At the first delivery event, 15 locally-made units of Tesla's affordable sedan were delivered to employees working at Gigafactory 3. The ceremonial MIC Model 3 event mimicked Fremont's event when it delivered 30 Model 3's made its the American-based factory.
Featured Image Credit: @jsrdctz/Twitter
Special thanks to @jsrdctz/Twitter for some of the photos used in this article!
About the Author
Claribelle Deveza
Longtime writer and news/book editor. Writing about Tesla allows me to contribute something good to the world, while doing something I love.
