Tesla Starts Double-Shifts at Giga Shanghai, Normal Operations by June: Report

Last week, it was reported that Tesla was set to begin double-shifts again at its Gigafactory in Shanghai, China, as COVID-19 restrictions ease for businesses. Workers were quarantined off-site before entering the closed-loop system at Giga Shanghai, with workers living inside the factory.

Now, local reporting from Yicai’s Qian Tongxin (via CnEVPost) on Sunday, Tesla has already started its double-shifts again at Giga Shanghai, allowing for increased production again, with these have started as recently as May 23, claim unnamed sources.

Back in mid-April, Tesla’s Shanghai plant had single-shift production due to COVID-19 restrictions in Shanghai, part of the closed-loop system where workers live and work at the site.

Tesla is said to bring its production back to regular levels by June. Yicai says a source mentioned while logistics at Giga Shanghai have recovered, there remains uncertainty as to when logistics will hit pre-pandemic levels, due to cross-provincial pandemic prevention and control.

Prior to COVID-19 restrictions, Tesla had three shifts at Giga Shanghai, producing close to 20,000 cars weekly, thanks to output 7 days per week and 24 hours per day. Tesla was able to make over 2,000 vehicles per day, reports Yicai.

Tesla’s Giga Shanghai supply chain now sources 95% of its parts locally, achieved after two years of operations.

As of May 17, Tesla has only recovered production to 45% and about 9,000 Model 3 and Model Y cars have been exported to Europe and other markets in the region.