Tesla CEO Elon Musk is reportedly planning a visit to China this week, marking his first trip to the country in three years, according to three anonymous sources knowledgeable of the matter, reports Reuters.
Musk’s itinerary includes a meet with high-ranking Chinese officials and a tour of Tesla’s Shanghai plant, claim two of the insiders who requested anonymity due to the private nature of the trip.
Details regarding who Musk would be meeting and the issues to be discussed remain uncertain. When asked for comments, Tesla and China’s State Council Information Office did not immediately respond.
Earlier in March, Reuters, citing sources, reported Musk’s intentions for a China visit and a possible meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, contingent on Li’s availability.
China is the second-largest market for Tesla after the United States, with its Shanghai plant serving as the electric car manufacturer’s primary production center.
Musk’s last visit to China saw him setting the internet aflame by dancing on stage during a Tesla event at the Shanghai factory in early 2020.
This visit comes at a crucial time as Tesla faces heightened competition with Chinese EV makers who are exporting their domestically produced electric vehicles amidst weakening demand in the world’s largest auto market.
While no updates have been given on Tesla’s plans to boost output by 450,000 vehicles annually at the Shanghai plant, it was reported in April that the company would establish a factory in Shanghai for the production of Megapack energy storage products.
Tesla also submitted plans for expanding its powertrain production capacity at the Shanghai plant to 1.75 million units annually.
Earlier this month, Musk disclosed to CNBC some “constraints” affecting Tesla’s expansion in China, underscoring that the issue is not demand-driven. In the same interview, he highlighted the potential concerns arising from tensions between the US and China.
According to a recent drone flyover of Giga Shanghai last week by Wu Wa, the channel noted, “This week, Tesla Shanghai factory update. We observed much less activity in the Phase 1 Model 3 area and Phase 2 Model Y. According to a Bloomberg report last week, the Shanghai plant will be shutting down for a period of time at the end of May in anticipation of the new Model 3, and from the site, this seems to be right on target. Also compared with last week, the PV panels on the factory roof did not increase this week, so it seems that the pre-laying has come to an end.”
Is Musk’s visit coinciding with news about the upcoming ‘Highland’ refresh for Model 3?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9RLkCKhT_Q
