China-made  Tesla  Model 3 vehicle is seen at a delivery ceremony in the Shanghai Gigafactory of the U.S. electric carmaker

(Shanghai) REUTERS: Tesla has started delivering Model 3 electric cars built at its Shanghai factory in just under a year since it began work on the US$2 billion plant, a record for global automakers in China, and said it would ramp up deliveries from next month.

The U.S. electric vehicle maker marked the start with an event on Monday where 15 Tesla employees received cars they had purchased, one of whom took the opportunity to propose marriage to his girlfriend after getting his new set of wheels.

The China-made Model 3 sedans are priced at 355,800 yuan (US$ 50,000) before subsidies. 

Imported Model 3 vehicles start at 439,000 yuan for the longer-range version, while the standard range plus model costs under US$ 40,000 in the United States.

The Shanghai plant, up and running in just 357 days, is part of Tesla’s plans to bolster its presence in the world’s biggest car market and minimise the impact of the U.S.-China trade war.

The automaker, which previously imported all the cars it sold in China, had said it wanted to start deliveries from the Shanghai plant before the Lunar New Year beginning on Jan. 25. “From now onwards China-made Model 3 vehicles will start running on China’s large streets and small lanes,” Tesla Vice President Tao Lin said at the delivery ceremony which was attended by employees and Shanghai government officials.

China General Manager for the Silicon Valley carmaker Wang Hao said Tesla plans to ramp up Model 3 deliveries in January.

The Chinese government has been supportive of the factory, the first wholly foreign-owned car plant and a reflection of Beijing’s broader shift to open up its auto market.