Tesla will be putting its Gigafactory Shanghai on pause for the Chinese New Year holidays starting February 10th. Bloomberg reports that one of the reasons for stopping the assembly lines is the need to upgrade them for the impending production of the facelifted Model Y. It is expected to debut on official terms in mid-year.
It is unsurprising that the China factory gets its upgrade ahead of the rest, because that country’s market has strategic importance for the Tesla brand. 75% of all Tesla vehicle sales in China fall on the Model Y SUV, and with the competition growing tighter in the country, refreshing it may help it hold its own against the local rivals.
In all likelihood, the scope of updates will be similar to that of the Model 3. This implies mild styling tweaks to reduce drag, new active safety assists, more range per charge and improved interior features.
It would make sense for Tesla to update the Model Y for the rest of the world as well. In all likelihood, the company will do so soon in all regions where the SUV is currently offered. That said, rumors are emerging that the United States ranks last in the company’s list of priorities.