Chinese rivals roll out competing models as Tesla shows signs of growth

Tesla’s China production factory showed strong results compared to 2025. However, these recent numbers signal American automakers are also losing ground as Chinese rivals step up with new launches.

The company’s Shanghai plant shipped 79,478 vehicles in April, which marked a 36% jump from April 2025. These numbers include both cars sold within China and those sent to other countries, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association.

But when compared to the month before, April shipments actually fell by 7.2%. This decline points to tougher conditions in the Chinese market, where local manufacturers have introduced many new models recently.

Eric Han works as a senior manager at Suolei, a consultancy based in Shanghai. He said Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) still holds a solid position in China’s electric car market, calling monthly shipments above 70,000 vehicles noteworthy.

However, he warned the company might struggle to keep growing at the same pace in upcoming months as Chinese buyers show more interest in vehicles made by domestic manufacturers.

Looking at the broader picture, Tesla’s Shanghai operations sold 292,876 cars during the first four months of 2026. This represented a 26.7% increase compared to the same period last year.

Electric car sales across China had a rough start to the year. The first two months saw slower activity as the central government gradually reduced purchase subsidies and tax breaks. Things picked up again in March when local authorities stepped in with their own subsidies and car companies offered attractive financing deals to bring in new buyers.

Canada questions fair access as Tesla moves to capture low-tariff quota

Meanwhile, Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) recently rolled out a new Model 3 range in Canada, as reported by Cryptopolitan, all built at its Chinese factory.

The cheapest version starts at C$39,490, making it among the lowest-priced Tesla models the company has ever put on sale.

That might not benefit Tesla, as Canadian government officials are now considering limits on how many vehicles each automaker can be allowed to sell under the new agreement with China. The worry is that one company could use up most of the available spots before newer brands like BYD (HKG: 1211) and other Chinese automakers get a chance to enter the Canadian market.

Earlier this year, Canada struck a deal with China that changed the tariff structure.

The old rate of 106.1% on Chinese-made electric cars dropped to just 6.1% for up to 49,000 vehicles each year. For the first year, this total got split into two equal periods of six months each, allowing 24,500 cars in each window.

Tesla moved fast to take advantage. In March, the company pulled all Model 3 inventory from its Canadian operations. It even took demo cars from showrooms and sent them back to the United States. The online system where customers could order vehicles also went offline to stop people from buying American-made versions.

Global Affairs Canada confirmed this week that no import permits have been used yet, even though applications opened on March 1.

Government officials are also talking about what happens when the first period ends on August 31. Right now, the first 24,500 vehicles work on a first-come, first-served basis. The remaining cars for the first year will be allocated through February 2027.

Traditional carmakers bet on Chinese partnerships

In Europe, traditional carmakers are taking a different approach. Stellantis, which owns Jeep, announced plans Friday to expand its partnership with Chinese electric car maker Leapmotor.

Stellantis(NYSE: STLA) bought about 21% of Leapmotor (HKG: 9863) back in 2023, and the two companies created a joint operation to sell and build Leapmotor vehicles outside China.

The expanded partnership will focus on increasing production while cutting costs. In Spain, they are looking at adding manufacturing capacity at a Stellantis plant in Zaragoza. This could include a new production line for an electric SUV from the Opel brand. Leapmotor might also build its B10 model at the same facility, which would let both companies share components.

The B10 could start rolling off the line this year, while the Opel SUV might begin production in 2028. Another Stellantis factory in Villaverde, Madrid, could start making a new Leapmotor vehicle in 2028 as well.

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