Recent footage taken at Shanghai South Port has revealed that Tesla China is still exporting large numbers of the upgraded Model 3 Highland abroad. This was suggested by the stream of Tesla Model 3 units being loaded onto a ro-ro vessel on Sunday morning local time.
The fleet of upgraded Model 3 sedans was observed by long-time Tesla China watcher Wu Wa, who has been documenting the progress and development of Giga Shanghai since its early days. According to the drone operator, around 1,200 Model 3 Highlands were being loaded onto the car carrier ship Prostar on the morning of 19 November 2023.
The fact that the vehicles loaded onto the ro-ro ship were upgraded Model 3 units bodes well for demand for the vehicle. Since its unveiling at the end of August, the new Model 3 has received rave reviews from both professional and lay reviewers. In particular, the car’s comfort updates and higher-quality interior have been highly praised.
Evidence of the high demand for the new Model 3 has been evident recently, particularly in markets such as China. In recent weeks, Tesla China has implemented a series of price increases for the all-electric sedan. The first was a price increase for the new Model 3 Long Range. This was followed by a similar adjustment to the cost of the entry-level Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive.
Tesla Giga Shanghai is the only electric vehicle factory producing the new Model 3. Given that the revamped all-electric sedan will be offered in several countries, Giga Shanghai is essentially the only plant to meet demand for the vehicle. With this in mind, it is not surprising that exports for the new Model 3 are still ongoing.
Tesla China typically allocates Giga Shanghai’s resources to the domestic market in the final weeks of the quarter. However, given the seemingly strong global demand for the new Model 3, it appears that Model 3 exports are likely to continue well into the final weeks of Q4. This setup is likely to change in the coming quarters, especially as the Fremont factory, Tesla’s other Model 3 production plant, also transitions to the updated all-electric sedan.
