Tesla boosts Model 3 push in China ahead of Gigafactory 3’s target production date

Tesla appears determined to boost its presence in China, with the company launching a compelling program for would-be Model 3 buyers, as well as a new set of job postings for the upcoming Gigafactory 3. The massive electric car production facility also continues to develop at a rapid rate, as could be seen in the work being conducted in the interior of the factory.

Recent reports from China have indicated that Tesla China’s local purchase and finance department has struck a deal with a prominent financial institution, Pudong Development Bank. Under this agreement, would-be electric car buyers would be able to purchase a Tesla with 0% interest for 60 months on selected models. This would not be the first time Tesla and Pudong Development Bank worked together as well, since the bank was among the institutions involved when Tesla was acquiring low-interest loans for the initial buildout of Gigafactory 3.

Such a deal has the potential to make Teslas a lot more attainable for the Chinese market, particularly with the arrival of more affordable electric cars such as the Standard Range Plus Model 3. This could also help keep the demand for Tesla’s vehicles healthy, at least until Gigafactory 3 starts producing the Model 3.

Gigafactory 3 has already completed its Phase 1 buildout, and workers are now focusing on installing equipment inside the expansive facility. Glimpses of these activities could be seen in a recent drone flyover, which featured a rare look at the work that is ongoing in one of the factory’s sections. Based on the recent footage, heavy equipment are being deployed in Gigafactory 3’s interior, and machinery is currently being set up.

Apart from Gigafactory 3’s latest developments, Tesla has also opened new job listings for the electric car production facility. As of June 18, 2019, Tesla China featured listings for software engineers, IT professionals, body-in-white specialists, and training personnel, to name a few. These posts, together with the recent job hiring sessions that the company has held over the past months, all but suggest that Gigafactory 3 would likely be operational soon.

Tesla is currently aiming to end the second quarter on a high note. After exhibiting lower-than-expected production and delivery figures in the first quarter, Tesla has gone on overdrive to hand over and manufacture as many vehicles as possible. Amidst this end-of-quarter push, the Tesla community has once more begun helping out the company deliver vehicles to new owners. Recent reports from Beijing, for example, have indicated that Tesla owners have begun volunteering in stores to help deliver electric cars.

Watch a recent flyover of Gigafactory 3 in the video below.