Tesla Motors announced it will start shipping Model 3 vehicles from its Chinese factory to Europe starting this month.
Countries that will receive the China-made Model 3 include Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland.
Tesla’s Shanghai factory in China first started delivering cars in December 2019 as the company’s first production facility outside the United States. The factory is aiming to produce 150,000 vehicles this year, with the carmaker currently building more capacity to build the Model Y there as well.
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“Support from Chinese government towards the industry, innovative local companies and customers embracing new technologies make China the best market for smart electric vehicles,” Tesla told Reuters.
Tesla, which sold more than 11,000 Model 3s last month in China, has just updated its compact sedan with minor styling changes and longer driving ranges. In the case of the Long Range Dual Motor variant, the increase is 31 miles more than before, to 353 miles (568 km).
The company’s decision to export China-built Model 3 vehicles to Europe comes as Tesla is currently building a factory in Berlin, Germany. The European factory aims to start production in mid-2021, churning out both the Model 3 and the Model Y.
Sources familiar with the matter said previously that Tesla has changed its strategy and is now going to export the Model 3 from China to not only Europe but also Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.
