特斯拉将于2020年在上海开始投产。最初将只生产Model3，该车售价预计将低于30万元人民币。2018年7月10日，特斯拉与上海市临港地区开发建设管理委员会、临港集团签署纯电动车项目投资协议，特斯拉将独资在临港地区建设超级工厂，该项目集研发、制造、销售于一体，计划产能年产50万辆电动车。据参与谈判的人透露，特斯拉上海工厂占地面积在1.72平方公里左右，超过美国工厂。特斯拉CEO马斯克透露，当地银行拟为特斯拉将设在上海的工厂提供部分融资支持。特斯拉之所以选择在上海建厂，按照天风证券新能源首席分析师杨藻的分析，长三角地区有中国最为成熟的新能源车供应链。电池、材料、整车零配件等诸多方面优势明显，国内优秀零部件公司如宁德时代、力神电池、杉杉股份、容百锂电、上海恩捷等要么总部在长三角，要么生产基地在长三角地区。除了产业发展的全国优势外，上海的新能源政策也起到了重要作用。从2014年特斯拉进入上海市场，截止到去年底，上海市政府给特斯拉发放了6000张免费牌照。上海市政府仅用了一周时间就建好了充电桩，上海效率给马斯克留下了深刻印象。
Tesla reportedly starts to build cars in China in 2020
Tesla will start to make vehicles in its Shanghai plant in 2020. The initial stage will only see the production of Model 3, whose price is expected to be less than RMB 300,000, according to a local media.
On July 10, Tesla reached an agreement with Shanghai Lingang Area Development Administration and Lingang Group to build a new auto plant in Shanghai, the American automaker’s first factory outside the United States. With an expected annual capacity of 500,000 vehicles, the plant will perform various functions, such as R&D, manufacturing, sales. The scale and construction of Tesla’s Shanghai factory, covering a total area of 1.72 square kilometers, is better than that of its American factory, a people attending the negotiation said.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, revealed during the company's second quarter earnings call on the first day of August, the new factory in China will be funded with a loan from a local bank. Besides, Tesla also posted its recruitment announcement via its Wechat account for the factory in China, including engineering and construction posts.
As to the reason why Tesla located its factory in Shanghai, Yang Zao, chief analyst on new energy business from TF Securities, pointed out the Yangtze River Delta region boasts the most sophisticated supply chain and obvious advantages over other regions in power battery, material, and auto parts. Many famed suppliers, such as CATL, Lishen Battery, Shanshan Corporation, have set up production bases in the region.
Relevant government policies may be another factor for the location decision. From 2014 when Tesla tapped into Shanghai market, the government has issued 6,000 free license plates for Tesla vehicles. It only took the government a week to build charging piles, which impressed Elon Musk a lot.