Tesla's China-produced electric vehicle deliveries rose sharply in May, continuing a string of monthly increases in the world’s largest EV market. Data released by the China Passenger Car Association on Tuesday show the automaker delivered 85,982 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from its Shanghai factory in May, a 39.4% increase compared with the same month a year earlier.
The May total includes vehicles sent abroad to customers in Europe and other markets as well as cars sold domestically in China. On a sequential basis, the figure also represents growth: deliveries were 8.2% higher than in April, according to the association's data.
This marks the sixth consecutive month of year-on-year increases for Tesla in China. The Shanghai manufacturing site continues to function as Tesla’s primary export hub outside North America, producing vehicles destined both for Chinese buyers and for overseas markets across Europe and other regions.
While the data released are limited to delivery counts, the pattern of consecutive monthly gains and the role of the Shanghai plant as an export center are clear from the figures provided. The reported totals encompass the two sedan and crossover models built at the factory, the Model 3 and Model Y, and reflect both domestic distribution and shipments beyond China’s borders.
Beyond the headline numbers, the association’s release highlights two points that are visible in the statistics: first, the continued month-to-month acceleration in deliveries, and second, the Shanghai plant’s dual role — supplying cars for China’s market while also serving as the company’s production base for international customers outside of North America.
The data set published does not provide further breakdowns such as domestic-only sales versus export-only volumes, nor does it include detailed reasons for the monthly increases. The available information is confined to total deliveries for the Model 3 and Model Y from the Shanghai facility and the comparisons to prior periods cited above.