TESLA Inc. plans to increase its production capacity for certain car parts at its US$2 billion factory in China, according to a government document, as it pushes to localize its supply chain in the world’s biggest auto market. The U.S. automaker, which started delivering Model 3 electric sedans from its Shanghai factory in December, plans to add lines to make more battery packs, electric motors and motor controllers, according to the document submitted by Tesla to Shanghai’s city government. Tesla, which as of end-December used about 70 percent imported parts for the cars it made in China, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But according to the document, Tesla wants to almost double its annual building capacity for cooling pipes, a key part in a car’s heat management system, to 260,000 sets a year from 150,000. It did not provide capacity details for other parts. The planned production line will not include battery cell manufacturing but will package out-sourced battery cells at the plant, the document said. Tesla has previously said it wants to localize its entire supply chain in China by the end of this year. The company is also building an additional stamping line to speed up car production in Shanghai. (SD-Agencies) |