Tesla China typically allots its resources in the latter half of every quarter to the domestic market. This quarter is a bit different, however, as the company is reportedly implementing upgrades to Giga Shanghai’s Model 3 line in late February. The upgrades are expected to pave the way for the release of an updated Model 3, which would make the vehicle more competitive in the market.
Drone flyovers at the Shanghai port last week indicated that there are still a large number of Teslas that need to be shipped abroad. Footage of the site taken yesterday showed that some vehicles are still yet to be exported. Interestingly enough, a lot of the vehicles that are still in the port are right-hand-drive (RHD) Model 3 units.
The shipment of RHD vehicles from China would likely be a welcome update for customers in countries such as Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom. After all, Tesla’s vehicle production facilities in foreign territories, such as Giga Berlin in Germany and Giga Shanghai in China, primarily produce left-hand-drive vehicles.
A look at the recent drone flyover at the Shanghai Port shows that many of the RHD cars are Model 3 sedans. This is interesting as the fleet might very well be the last batch of pre-upgrade RHD Model 3 that Giga Shanghai would export. Once the upgrades to the Model 3 line are completed, Giga Shanghai’s exports would likely feature updated versions of the all-electric sedan.
The upgrades to the Model 3 are highly anticipated. In the United States, the electric vehicle community is avidly watching for sightings of the Model 3’s “Project Highland” update, which is expected to feature a revamped infotainment system as well as updates to the vehicle’s exterior and powertrain performance. The vehicle’s design is expected to be changed as well to make it easier and more cost-effective to produce.
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