BEIJING — Tesla‘s gross sales in China greater than doubled final yr amid the coronavirus pandemic, in line with a filing out Monday.

The electrical automotive maker’s gross sales in China of $6.66 billion final yr accounted for a few fifth, or 21% of the $31.54 billion whole.

In 2019, Tesla’s China gross sales reached $2.98 billion, simply 12% of the $24.58 billion whole.

The U.S. remained Tesla’s largest market, with gross sales rising 20% final yr to $15.21 billion and accounting for roughly half of whole gross sales.

Tesla started ramping up manufacturing final yr at its manufacturing facility in Shanghai and promoting China-made vehicles to the native market.

The corporate’s Model 3 was the best-selling electric car in the country in 2020, in line with China’s Passenger Automobile Affiliation. The automaker additionally started deliveries of a brand new mannequin, a China-made Mannequin Y, to native prospects this yr.

Nevertheless, Tesla faces competitors within the native market from Chinese language electrical automotive start-ups like Nio and Xpeng, whereas regulatory scrutiny has elevated.

On Monday, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation mentioned on its web site that it and 4 different authorities departments just lately met with Tesla’s local subsidiaries over an increase in consumer reports of car issues.

Amongst a number of incidents that garnered consideration on Chinese language social media in the previous couple of weeks, a Model 3 reportedly exploded in a Shanghai parking garage in January. Final week, Chinese language authorities mentioned Tesla needed to recall more than 36,000 cars as a result of a touchscreen failure.