Image Source: Visual China

BEIJING, April 19 (TMTPOST) — Multinational electric vehicle maker Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai resumed production on Tuesday after three weeks of operation suspension due to the resurgence of Covid-19 pandemic in the megacity.

The company had completed preparation for work resumption on Monday, Yicai reported.

At phase 2 whole-car production line of the Shanghai Gigafactory, around 1,600 workers were resuming their production work. “Thanks to the government’s support and coordination, we were able to resume production. The staff has also been very helpful,” an insider at Tesla told Yicai. The insider said that ensuring workers’ safety at work remains the top priority for Tesla. The EV maker will strictly comply with local rules for pandemic control and prevention.

It is said that Tesla’s production capacity can return to normal within three or four days. The plant currently has enough component inventory to suffice a week’s production. “Then the production capacity is determined by the supply chain,” an insider from Tesla told Yicai.

Tesla’s Giagfactory in Lingang Shanghai mainly produces Model 3 and Model Y. Last year, the plant’s production capacity was around 500,000 units. The plant manufactured nearly 10,000 electric vehicles every week in 2021.

Tesla’s share price had increased by 1.5%.

Around 8,000 workers have resumed work at the plant. The factory will be operating in a closed-loop system, meaning that contact with the outside world will be restricted. Workers will then need to sleep at the factory as a result. Tesla will provide each worker with a sleeping bag and mattress.

It is reported that Tesla is helping over 100 component suppliers resume production and solve logistic issues with the help of relevant authorities and the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Information. Some cities in the Yangtze River Delta region are also providing active support for companies to resume production.