Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory has started exporting the Model 3 vehicles to European countries including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland, according to the SH Observer.

The first vehicles to be exported are the standard range Model 3s, which are identical to those supplied to the Chinese market. The vehicles have arrived at the terminal and are expected to depart next Tuesday.

Song Gang, director of manufacturing and operations at Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory, said that the Model 3 capacity ramp is almost complete, and that while the production capacity has reached its one-stage target to satisfy Chinese consumers, it is also selling quality products to Europe to offer to European consumers.

"We hope to serve global consumers with our global factories, and the export of China-made Tesla is an important step in Tesla's global layout," he claimed.

The European market is already well established and mature, and has a reputation for being demanding. The Shanghai Gigafactory's export of the Model 3 to Europe represents a recognition of the quality of the Chinese-made Model 3 product in the European market, the report said.

The Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory (Phase I) is China's first wholly foreign-owned vehicle manufacturing project and Tesla's first Gigafactory outside of the United States.

The first phase of the Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory has already been completed, with a planned production capacity of 150,000 electric passenger cars per year.

The second phase of the project is currently under construction and will have a production capacity of 250,000-300,000 units per year of pure electric passenger vehicles.

In addition, key components such as the Tesla power battery and drive motor, as well as the new integrated molding process for the lower body are being accelerated.

In terms of research and development, with the continuous expansion of Tesla China's design and R&D team, the Shanghai Gigafactory will undertake more original product design and R&D work to produce products that better meet the needs of Chinese consumers.

Song Gang said that in the future, Tesla products exported from China will not only be made in China, but also designed and developed in China, producing high-quality and advanced products in China for the benefit of global consumers.