Gary Zhou 
Data recently released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) has revealed that Tesla China exported 43,489 vehicles in October 2023. A total of 72,115 Giga Shanghai-made vehicles were sold by Tesla China last month, as per the CPCA.
Considering the number of vehicles that were exported from Giga Shanghai last month, it would appear that Tesla China was also able to deliver 28,626 vehicles domestically in October. Such a number would suggest a 66.43% improvement year-over-year and a 34.2% decrease from September 2023.
The number of exports from Tesla China in October represents a 20.21% decrease year-over-year, as well as a 42.28% increase from September. Such a trend is quite unsurprising as Tesla tends to focus its resources on the local Chinese market in the final weeks of a quarter.
The CPCA has stated that from the 72,115 vehicles that were sold by Tesla China in October, 47,164 were Model Y crossovers and 24,951 were Model 3 sedans, as noted in a CNEV Post report.
Tesla China’s domestic results so far this year have been quite impressive despite a slowdown in the Model 3 line to make way for the release of Project Highland. From January to October, Tesla effectively delivered 462,355 vehicles in the domestic Chinese market, an increase of 37.87% year-over-year.
Tesla China’s exports from January to October are then estimated at 308,816 vehicles, which would suggest a 40.74% improvement year-over-year.
Considering that China’s retail sales of passenger new energy vehicles (NEVs) were listed at 767,000 units last month, Tesla’s results would suggest that the electric vehicle maker ended October 2023 with a 3.73% share of the NEV market. In September, Tesla’s share was higher at 5.83%.
Tesla’s share in China’s BEV market was more substantial at about 5.78% in October. This number, however, still represents a downturn since the electric vehicle maker commanded an 8.7% share in September.
It should be noted that vehicle deliveries from Tesla China were a bit unusual in October since the updated Model 3, which is known in EV circles as Project Highland, did not start its domestic deliveries until the end of the month. Prior to its local deliveries, the Model 3 was mostly exported to foreign territories.
