It’s official. As per a recently released report from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), Tesla China was able to sell 41,488 Model Y and 30,216 Model 3 in October. With Tesla’s wholesale figures in China reaching 71,704 last month, the electric vehicle maker is poised to post what could very well be a record Q4 2022.
As per CPCA data, Tesla China exported a total of 54,504 vehicles in October. The electric vehicle maker’s focus on exports last month affected the company’s domestic sales, which were only listed at 17,200 vehicles. Such a strategy has been adopted by Tesla China for some time now, with the company designating Gigafactory Shanghai as a vehicle export hub.
While some Tesla skeptics would argue that October’s results were lower than the company’s September sales, it should be noted that the previous month also represented the company’s best first month of a quarter to date. As noted by electric vehicle watchers in social media, Tesla was able to sell nearly 60,000 vehicles in January, the first month of the first quarter. This dropped to only 1,512 vehicles in April, the first month of Q2 2022, due to China’s stringent Covid lockdowns.
Tesla focused on upgrading Giga Shanghai for more capacity in July, the first month of the third quarter. This resulted in Tesla’s wholesale figures hitting only 28,217 in July. The upgrades to Giga Shanghai seemed to have been successful, as the electric vehicle maker’s monthly sales have remained strong since then, with the company posting wholesale figures of over 70,000 vehicles in August, September, and now, October.
It should also be noted that Tesla China did not necessarily have the same workdays in October as September. This was partly due to China’s National Day celebrations, which ran from October 1 to October 7. Tesla was believed to have maintained its operations at Giga Shanghai during this time, but the facility was reportedly not at full staff. Overall, Tesla China’s October sales seem bullish, and it would be pretty exciting to see just how far the company can push Giga Shanghai during the remaining months of the year.
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