TLDR
- Tesla’s Shanghai gigafactory started ramping up production for the fourth quarter after China sales jumped 25% in September from August
- The company sold 71,525 vehicles in China during September, making it the second-best month of 2025 behind March
- Tesla’s market share in China’s new energy vehicle sector climbed to 5.5% in September from 5.2% in August
- The Shanghai factory produced 90,812 total vehicles in September, up about 9% from the previous month
- Year-to-date China sales through September reached 432,704 vehicles, down 6% from last year but representing over a third of global Q3 deliveries
Tesla’s Shanghai gigafactory has begun increasing production for the fourth quarter. Vice president Tao Lin announced the ramp-up in a Weibo post on Monday.
The production increase follows a strong September sales performance in China. Tesla sold 71,525 vehicles in the country last month.
That figure represents a 25% jump from August. It marked Tesla’s second-best monthly performance in China this year.
The September sales came during China’s “Golden September” car-buying season. This period typically sees shoppers returning to dealerships after the summer months.
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The Shanghai facility is Tesla’s largest manufacturing hub worldwide. The plant builds Model 3 and Model Y vehicles for both local sales and exports.
In September, the factory produced 90,812 total vehicles. That represented about a 9% increase from August production levels.
The plant allocated more vehicles to Chinese buyers during the month. Export shipments totaled 19,287 units, roughly 20% higher than the previous year but lower than August.
Market Share Gains
Tesla’s position in China’s new energy vehicle market improved in September. The company captured 5.5% of all new energy vehicle sales.
That marked an increase from 5.2% in August. Tesla’s share of the battery-electric vehicle segment reached 8.7%.
China’s broader auto market showed strength during the month. National car sales accelerated as buyers took advantage of trade-in subsidies.
New energy vehicle sales across China rose 16% from August. Year-over-year growth reached 15% as new models launched and seasonal demand picked up.
Tesla’s September performance ended a two-month sales decline in China. The company had seen sales drop in July and August.
Year-to-Date Performance
From January through September, Tesla sold 432,704 vehicles in China. That figure is down about 6% from the same period last year.
Despite the year-over-year decline, China sales still represent a large portion of Tesla’s global business. The country accounted for more than a third of the company’s global deliveries in the third quarter.
The September sales improvement coincided with Tesla beginning deliveries of its new six-seater vehicle in China. The timing of the new model launch matched the traditional peak buying season.
Tesla shares rose 2.5% in premarket trading on Monday following the China sales report. The stock gained ground as investors digested the monthly sales jump.
The Shanghai factory now enters its fourth quarter production ramp with momentum from September’s sales performance. The facility continues to serve as Tesla’s primary manufacturing base for the Asia-Pacific region.
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