This photo shows the production ceremony for its 9 millionth vehicle at US carmaker Tesla's Gigafactory in Shanghai, on December 30, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of Tesla

Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory delivered more than 97,100 vehicles in December 2025, setting a monthly record. Globally, it delivered 851,000 units in 2025, accounting for more than half of the company's total deliveries in 2025, the company told the Global Times on Monday.

Analysts said the strong performance underscores the US electric vehicle (EV) maker's solid footprint in the Chinese market and highlights the sustained appeal of China's well-developed new-energy vehicle supply chain and manufacturing efficiency for multinational companies.

According to the latest statistics from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), deliveries from Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory exceeded 97,100 units in December, up 11 percent month on month. The company confirmed the figure in a statement sent to the Global Times on Monday. 

On a full-year basis, Tesla delivered approximately 1.636 million EVs globally in 2025, with the Shanghai Gigafactory contributing more than half of the total. The facility has remained Tesla's largest production base and export hub worldwide, the company said.

Meanwhile, EVs produced at the Shanghai plant were continuously exported to markets across the Asia-Pacific region and Europe in 2025, fueling strong sales momentum overseas.

On December 31, Tesla's 9-millionth vehicle rolled off the production line at the Shanghai Gigafactory. The milestone vehicle was a white Model Y. Earlier, on December 10, the plant reached another milestone as its 4-millionth vehicle came off the line.

In the Chinese market, the Model Y ranked as the top-selling SUV over the past year and has led sales among mid-to-high-end vehicle models for four consecutive years, according to the company's statement.

The Shanghai Gigafactory, Tesla's first manufacturing plant outside the US, began construction in January 2019 and produced its first vehicle in December of the same year. 

Designed as a fully integrated vehicle manufacturing facility, the plant houses stamping, body welding, painting and final assembly under one roof, enabling an industry-leading production pace of more than one vehicle rolling off the line every 30 seconds. 

Now, the localization rate of the Shanghai Gigafactory's supply chain has reached 95 percent, and a dense supplier ecosystem in the Yangtze River Delta, including cities such as Suzhou, Ningbo and Nantong within a "four-hour circle," has helped cut logistics costs and accelerate parts supply, said the company.

The site now works with more than 400 first‑tier suppliers; over 60 of these suppliers have been integrated into Tesla's global supply chain, according to Tesla.

Company data showed that it took more than 30 months for the plant to produce its first one million vehicles, while output rose from 3 million to 4 million units in about 14 months, reflecting a continued acceleration in production efficiency.

Beyond vehicle manufacturing, Tesla has also expanded its energy business in Shanghai. In February, Tesla's Shanghai Megafactory dedicated to energy-storage products officially launched production, marking the company's second major manufacturing facility in the city and its first energy-storage plant outside the US. 

According to Tesla's global production and delivery report released on Friday, the company's energy-storage installations reached 14.2 gigawatt-hours in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 13 percent quarter on quarter and setting a new quarterly record, according to a report by the Shanghai Securities News.

As part of its broader strategy to deepen its presence in the Chinese market, Tesla has introduced updated January 2026 purchase incentives, including five-year interest-free financing and added benefits for Model 3 and Model Y orders placed before January 31, a move aimed at sustaining sales momentum.