---
title: "Tesla China Exports Slump to Just 60 Cars on Strong Local Demand"
description: "Tesla Inc. exported just 60 cars produced at its Shanghai factory in March, a record low as strong domestic demand sucked up most of the output, according to China Passenger Car Association data released on Monday."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Business Maverick"
author: "Bloomberg"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/bloomberg/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-04-11-tesla-china-exports-slump-to-just-60-cars-on-strong-local-demand/"
published: "2022-04-11T05:54:36"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 252
---

# Tesla China Exports Slump to Just 60 Cars on Strong Local Demand

> Tesla Inc. exported just 60 cars produced at its Shanghai factory in March, a record low as strong domestic demand sucked up most of the output, according to China Passenger Car Association data released on Monday.

By Bloomberg · Published 11 April 2022, 07:54 SAST

## Content

The U.S.-based maker of EVs shipped a total of 65,814 cars from its factory in China’s financial hub last month, with the bulk of those -- 65,754 -- going to the domestic market.

The total number of EVs produced and delivered locally by Tesla in China in March was the highest since December, despite a six-day plant shutdown caused by production snarls and pandemic-related disruptions. April figures will be closely watched considering the Covid-19 lockdown in Shanghai has seen Tesla suspend production there since March 28.

[Read more: Tesla Halted, Chips Pile Up as Shanghai Lockdown Upends Business](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-06/tesla-halted-chips-pile-up-as-shanghai-lockdown-upends-business)

Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on its March output.

Overall passenger vehicle sales in China slid 10.9% year-on-year in March to 1.61 million units, the PCA data show. Month-on-month, sales rose 25.3%. New-energy vehicle deliveries in China jumped 137.6% year-on-year to 445,000 units.

“Despite the global lithium price hike and chip shortage, China’s local OEMs achieved a great performance with their strong capability and government coordination,” Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the trade body, said. He said China’s share of the global autos market reached a record 36% in the first two months of the year.

Also benefiting from robust local demand was China’s BYD Co., which delivered 104,338 new-energy vehicles. NEVs include EVs and plug-in hybrids.

China’s legacy carmakers are under growing pressure to crank out ever-larger volumes of electric vehicles as missing their NEV production targets could dent their profitability, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts wrote earlier this month. **BM**