Tesla's 10 millionth electric drive system in its history rolled off the assembly line at its Shanghai factory, the first of the US electric vehicle (EV) maker's in-house components to reach the milestone.
The achievement was announced on Weibo last night by Tesla, which stated it has redefined electric drive systems and started internal production from scratch.
Tesla explained that the electric drive system, comprising motors, gearboxes, and motor controllers, is the heart of electric vehicles, crucial for their core performance.
On Weibo, Tesla wrote, "10 million powerful 'hearts' keep Tesla forever energetic and charged ahead!"
Tesla added, "Thanks to the support and companionship of over 6 million owners, together we're accelerating the world's shift to sustainable energy."
Tesla's first-generation electric drive systems were used in the Roadster, with very few deliveries. The second generation powered the Model S and Model X, while the third generation introduced permanent magnet motors in the Model 3 and Model Y.
According to a video shared on Weibo by Tesla, the current cost of its electric drive systems is less than half that of the first-generation Model S drive system.
Tesla's latest electric drive system, the Performance 4DU for the 2024 Model 3 Performance, promises greater torque, power, and efficiency enhancements compared to earlier versions. It offers up to +22% continuous power, +32% peak power, and +16% peak torque output, resulting in more immediate and sustained acceleration during driving.
Tesla's Shanghai factory commenced construction on January 7, 2019, and began operations by the end of 2019, marking China's first wholly foreign-owned car manufacturing project.
Starting January 2020, the Shanghai Gigafactory began delivering Model 3s to domestic customers, followed by Model Y deliveries from January 2021.
On August 13, 2022, less than three years after starting production, the Shanghai Gigafactory celebrated the production of its 1 millionth vehicle.
On September 6, 2023, the factory produced its 2 millionth car.
On September 18, 2023, Tesla announced that the global 5 millionth car rolled off the production line at its Shanghai Gigafactory.