The Tesla Model Y crossover is tipped to hit China's roads soon following reports that the process of mass producing the electric vehicle is now underway. The small SUV has been approved for registration and the next step would be the actual assembly pending the approval by the Chinese government.
Tesla has reportedly filed the necessary papers before the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and once the application is approved, the automaker is expected to start the production activities.
The Model Y will be built in the Gigafactory Shanghai and Yahoo Finance reported that the start date is set December 2020, which is in line with the guidance issued by the U.S. automaker. The Tesla electric SUVs rolling out of the massive facility will be marketed locally and in Australia.
Tesla has indicated that along with the Model 3 sedan, the Model Y will be shipped to parts of Europe, and the practice is understood to continue until the construction of the Gigafactory Berlin in Germany is completed.
It's still unclear if the Model Y deliveries will China will be timed with the scheduled availability of the EV in the United States. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the Model Y will be on America's roads starting in December and this will be for the 7-seater variants.
There is no word from Tesla if the same version will be introduced outside of the U.S. but the listed model, for now, is a five-seater, which likely will the same offering in Australia and Europe.
Electrek obtained confirmation that the Model Y is already registered with the MIIT and the development is a strong signal that production is happening soon. If this true, it synchs with the earlier statements from the company that the electric SUV will start selling in China in the first quarter of 2021.
It is in accordance with the program laid out by Musk that the Model Y will make available in markets where the units will be assembled, but with exception, for now, in regards to Australia and Europe.
The Tesla Model Y's arrival in China is projected to make the crossover segment further explode in terms of popularity. The small SUV is already a massive hit in the world's second-biggest economy and industry analysts are estimating that Tesla will be leading the way in no time.
Already, the prospect of owning an electric SUV is a big come-on for Chinese buyers, and if Tesla accelerates its plan to release a more affordable version of the Model Y, up to 30,000 units could be cleared per month in 2021.
Electrek said Tesla will likely assemble the Model Y in small numbers beginning this December but the volume production will only be realized in the first half of next year.
