The outgoing Model Y was the best-selling new car in China last year, but globally, Tesla barely edged out BYD as the number one EV brand
January 16, 2025 at 07:39
- Tesla reportedly received 50,000 orders for the new Model Y the first day of its unveiling.
- The company will also close areas of the Shanghai plant where the Model 3 is built for one week.
- Two versions of the electric SUV have been confirmed for the Chinese market.
It’s been just a few days since Tesla unveiled the facelifted Model Y and the company is already preparing to optimize its Shanghai production facility, which will handle part of the global output. According to unnamed sources, some manufacturing lines will be suspended for three weeks to facilitate these upgrades.
Insiders familiar with Tesla’s plans told Bloomberg that the Model Y production lines will go offline from January 22 through February 14. This downtime will allow the company to enhance its equipment and scale up production. Additionally, the section of the Shanghai plant dedicated to building the Model 3 will be closed from January 26 to February 3.
Read: New Real-Life Pics Of 2025 Tesla Model Y ‘Juniper’
The shutdown coincides with the Chinese Lunar New Year period. Tesla recently confirmed that prices for the new Model Y kick off from 263,500 yuan (~$35,900), and it’s already enjoying plenty of demand for the electric SUV. In fact, a recent report indicated that the brand secured as many as 50,000 orders for the Model Y on the day of its unveiling. Local deliveries should begin in April or May.
Two powertrain options have been confirmed for China. The entry-level, rear-wheel-drive model has a single electric motor with 295 hp (220 kW), and an all-wheel drive version ups the ante with a 184 hp (137 kW) front motor and a 260 hp (194 kW) rear motor. This model, badged the Model Y+, comes standard with the Acceleration Boost feature.
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While many EV shoppers knew that the refreshed Model Y was around the corner and were perhaps holding off on buying the outgoing model, the all-electric SUV enjoyed a very successful 2024 in China. No fewer than 480,309 units were sold across the country last year. That was a jump over the 456,394 sold in 2023 and enough for the Model Y to secure the crown as China’s best-selling new car.
Nevertheless, in 2024 Tesla’s global sales declined for the first time in a decade and narrowly held on to the title of the world’s best-selling EV brand from BYD. Moreover, its share in the Chinese market is falling due to stiff competition from local brands. In 2020, it held a 16% share of the EV market, whereas in the first 11 months of 2024, this had dropped to around 10.6%, according to data from the China Automotive Technology and Research Center.
