Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks during an interview with CCTV Finance released on September 23, 2026. Photo: Screenshot from CCTV Finance

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has credited the company's Chinese workforce for the success of its Shanghai Gigafactory, praising the team's talent, dedication and manufacturing efficiency in an interview with CCTV Finance released on Wednesday.

Musk said China has an inherent strength in manufacturing, describing the Shanghai plant's success as being closely tied to its Chinese employees, according to a video clip released by the Chinese broadcaster on September 23. He described Tesla's China team as exceptionally talented, hardworking and trustworthy.

"The quality is excellent, and the efficiency is excellent," Musk said. "In terms of the Shanghai factory, it's a gem. It's beautiful." 

Musk also praised China's broader manufacturing strengths, saying the country has a strong inherent ability to manufacture, a capability he suggested was rooted in its longstanding industrial experience, according to the CCTV Finance interview.

His remarks highlighted the central role of China's manufacturing capabilities and local workforce in Tesla's global operations, as the US electric vehicle maker continues to expand its production and technological footprint in the country.

The Shanghai Gigafactory offers a measure of that strength. In less than a year after construction began in January 2019, the plant started delivering China-made Model 3 vehicles in December that year. It has since become Tesla's largest vehicle export hub, serving both domestic and overseas markets.

The plant has produced more than 4.5 million vehicles, accounting for over 45 percent of Tesla's cumulative global output. In July, Tesla became the world's first automaker to produce 10 million fully electric vehicles, with the Shanghai plant contributing nearly half the total, according to the Shanghai municipal government.

The China team's role has also expanded beyond production. The Model Y L, a six-seat SUV developed and manufactured under the leadership of Tesla's China team, has entered multiple overseas markets.

Tesla China’s wholesale sales, including exports from its Shanghai plant, rose 25.6 percent year-on-year to 647,694 vehicles in the first eight months of 2026, extending a run of year-on-year growth to 10 consecutive months in August, according to industry data. The export volume in the same period was 331,443 cars, up 114.7 percent from the same period last year.

Beyond Tesla's operations, Musk used the latest interview to encourage people around the world to experience China firsthand, recommending destinations including Shanghai, Beijing and Xi'an.

Recalling a high-speed rail journey from Beijing to Xi'an, Musk praised China's railway stations and the scenery along the route. He also spoke of the country's cultural heritage, including the Terracotta Warriors, according to a separate short video released by CCTV Finance. 

Musk's latest remarks also echoed his previous expressions of appreciation for China. In August, he recommended visiting the country on social media, describing China as an extraordinary destination. His mother, Maye Musk, subsequently spoke positively about her visits to China and the Shanghai factory in a separate interview. 

In the interview, Musk also shared his views on China's market, emerging technologies and future cooperation. CCTV Finance noted that he has repeatedly shared videos and images of Chinese humanoid robots and said in a July interview with The Economist that Chinese AI companies had "a good chance" of becoming global leaders.

Global Times