Gary Zhou 
Tesla China saw a significant recovery in vehicle insurance registrations in the week of February 20-26. As per industry watchers in China, Tesla saw a total of 10,705 insurance registrations for the week ending February 26. In the previous week, Tesla China saw 5,913 registrations.
Industry watchers point to Tesla China seeing 7,946 Model Y registrations from February 20-26. That’s an 83.34% increase week-over-week. Tesla Model 3 registrations were at 2,759 units, a 74.73% improvement week-over-week.
The fourth week of February appears to be Tesla China’s strongest over the month. This is understandable, however, as Giga Shanghai’s resources were focused on exports in the first two weeks of February. For context, Tesla China saw 8,643 vehicle registrations in the first week and 6,963 vehicle registrations in the second week of the month.
While Tesla China’s numbers in the fourth week of February present an improvement over the previous weeks, the company’s domestic numbers are still quite softer than some Tesla bulls’ estimates. The reasons behind these numbers are yet to be determined, though Tesla bears are currently alleging a demand problem in China. It may be too early to point to potential demand issues, however, since Giga Shanghai’s Model 3 line is being upgraded this month.
Previous reports suggest that the upgrades to the Model 3 line in Giga Shanghai are being implemented until the end of the month. These upgrades would reportedly pave the way for the rollout of an updated Model 3. The specifics of these Model 3 updates are yet to be revealed, though in the United States, reports of “Project Highland” Model 3 sedans have been abounding.
Among the “Project Highland” improvements are a new infotainment system, as well as some updates to the Model 3’s exterior and powertrain performance. The “Project Highland” Model 3 would likely be easier to manufacture as well, as it is expected to be manufactured with fewer components compared to its previous iterations.
