Tesla Giga Shanghai Model Y Production Building Shell Nearly Complete

Featured Image Credit: Jason Yang/YouTube

Tesla Giga Shanghai's Model Y production building is nearing completion, proving VP Grace Tao's forecast accurate with each passing day. At the rate the MIC Model Y factory is being built, Giga Shanghai could start mass production by Q1 2021, as VP Grace Tao had estimated in May.

Drone operator Jason Yang released a video of Giga Shanghai's construction progress recently. The footage reveals just how much has changed in Tesla's Shanghai base. There are three new buildings in the lot--Phase 2A, Phase 2B, and a triangular structure in one corner. 

Phase 2A will reportedly house MIC Model Y production. Yang's video reveals that workers have already started working on the building's outer walls. For perspective, Giga Shanghai started placing the roof on the supposed Model Y production building in late May. Now, a few weeks later, the outer walls of the plant are being placed. Based on its past construction progress, the Model Y's outer shell may be complete by the end of July. 

"In the past month, Tesla's sales of Model 3 in China exceeded 10,000. It can be seen that China's consumption power and Tesla's popularity are very high. It can be predicted that the launch of Model Y will usher in a new sales height," wrote Jason Yang in his video's description.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers' (CPCA), a little over 11,000 MIC Model 3s were sold in May in China, up 205% month over month. The MIC Model Y demand is expected to be notably higher than the demand for the locally-made MIC Model 3. According to Car Sales Base, crossovers and SUVs outperformed the Chinese auto market yet again in April with a 0.8% decline. April 2020 was the first time the Chinese auto market seemed to regain normalcy with only a 5.6% decline compared to February's 82.1% drop and the 48.9% decline in March.

Tesla Model Y production is expected to start in both Giga Shanghai and Giga Berlin by Q1 2021, marking the beginning of the all-electric SUV crossover's ramp in Europe and China. "Model Y in Shanghai and Berlin are proceeding as planned, and we're making progress on improving capacity for Model Y in Fremont and Model 3 in Shanghai," noted Tesla CFO Zachary Kirkhorn during TSLA's Q1 2020 Earnings Call.