Tesla Gigafactory 3 To Produce 3,000 Model 3s Weekly By End Of 2019

The Tesla Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai will produce 3,000 Model 3 luxury electric sedans a week by the end of this year, said a ranking official of the Shanghai municipal government, confirming previous statements to this effect made last month by CEO Elon Musk.

Manufacturing activities at Gigafactory 3 will begin near the end of this year, and accelerate to 3,000 cars per week, said Ma Chunlei, Deputy Secretary General of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and Director of Shanghai Development and Reform Commission.

Ma also said and the initial production capacity for Gigafactory 3 will be some 150,000 Model 3s annually, local news agency 3g.163.com said as per Teslarati. He made no mention of Model Y production numbers, however.

Ma said construction of Gigafactory has gone on smoothly thus far. He also confirmed installation of production equipment had already begun. Musk also made the same assertion at Tesla’s shareholder meeting in California last month.

“The relevant authorities told me that they would start production at the end of this year, and then gradually climb to the production capacity of about 3,000 vehicles per week,” said Ma.

“I believe that at the end of this year and early next year, every one may see or buy in Shanghai, China. Production of new energy vehicles from Tesla Model 3,” he added.

The speed of Gigafactory 3’s construction has been amazingly swift given the immense size and complexity of the facility. Construction of the massive general assembly building is expected to be completed in a few months.

Tesla announced the deal to build Gigafactory 3 with the Shanghai municipal government only in October 2018. Groundbreaking for the plant, which was attended by Musk, took place in January.

The latest onsite photos reveal that equipment is now being installed inside the general assembly building. A power substation is currently being built southwest of the main facility.

In June, Musk said Gigafactory 3 is on schedule to complete construction by this summer. He believes Gigafactory 3 is the fastest built car manufacturing facility ever.

Musk said Tesla is already installing production equipment including “stamping machines, and the paint shop.”

Gigafactory 3 complex has a size of 865,000 square meters. The project contractor is China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd., a unit of state-owned China State Construction Engineering.

Gigafactory 3 will produce the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, as well as the complicated electric battery packs for these electric vehicles (EVs).