近几个月，关于特斯拉的新闻层出不穷。
尤其是特斯拉在上海临港工业区设立的超级工厂，外界一直在翘首以盼该工厂生产出真正的豪华型新能源车。
最近，《环球时报》英文版记者亲历这家传说中的超级工厂，发现该工厂的建设仍然处于初步阶段。
工地一片荒凉，甚至有暂停作业的“嫌疑”。这不禁让人捏把汗，特斯拉能否兑现之前所说的“明年下半年部分投产”的计划。
(图片来自VCG)
特斯拉上海工厂的选址在上海临港工业区的一片地块，离上海市中心大约1个半小时车程。目前，网络上关于该地块具体地址的信息都是模糊措词，只提供一个大致的方向。
Tesla’s Shanghai plant dormant, fuels speculation on delivery
The Global Times also consulted a Tesla pr representative about where the plant is actually located, and the answer I got was "I don't know."
记者还曾询问一位特斯拉的公关人员该厂子的具体位置在哪里，得到的答案竟也是“不大清楚。”
With the help of some local guides, I finally arrived at the site. There are streets on three sides of the site; on the fourth lies the Suitang River. It takes one about 1.5 hours to make a cycle around the site on foot.
根据几个当地向导的帮助，记者最终找到了这片工地。工地三面临马路，一面临随塘河。步行环绕该工地一周大概需要1个半小时。
(图片拍摄：Xie Jun)
A construction worker who was clearing land around the site confirmed to the Global Times that the plot was for Tesla's Gigafactory. He said he was not a construction worker for the Tesla project, but occasionally he was assigned the job of clearing roads nearly the site. Another security guard at Sany, whose plant is near the Tesla factory, also confirmed the aforementioned site is the land plot for the Gigafactory.
一名在工地附近开挖掘机清理路面的工人向记者确认，这就是未来超级工厂将要崛起的地方。不过他表示自己不是特斯拉项目的工人，但会偶尔被派来清理工地附近的路面。另外一位三一重工的门卫也向记者确认，该地块就是特斯拉上海工厂的选址（三一重工工厂在特斯拉工厂附近）。
(图片拍摄：Xie Jun)
From what the Global Times saw, Tesla is very serious about keeping the project under wraps. The construction site is surrounded by black clapboards that block the view of anyone who's passing by. It is further separated from the adjacent roads by small creeks and fences. Signs forbid trespassing as well as aerial photography.
根据记者的观察，特斯拉很在意对项目的保密工作。工地四周围有一圈黑色的挡板，因此外人很难直观看见工地内的作业情况。而且挡板和马路还被小溪和铁丝网隔开。铁丝网上面还挂着“闲人免入”以及禁止无人机拍摄等告示。
(图片拍摄：Xie Jun)
Peeking through gaps in the walls and peeping into the site's main entrance on Lianggangxidadao, the Global Times saw almost no signs of construction, such as heavy machinery at work. The land has been leveled, but there were almost no construction workers to be seen. Maybe because of the rain, the plot looked desolate like a piece of wasteland.
从围墙缝隙“窥探”以及从工地在两港西大道的正面内望入，特斯拉工地几乎没有作业的痕迹。比如没有在工作的重型机械。土地已经平整，但几乎没有建筑工人。可能因为下雨的关系，整片工地看上去非常荒凉，更象是一片荒地。
A security guard, who said he had just recently started to work there, hadn't noticed much construction work during daylight hours. He also said he did not know what project he was guarding when asked by the Global Times.
一位工地的保安说他刚刚开始在这片工地工作，白天也看不到什么开工的迹象。他还说自己不知道这片工地的项目是什么。
(图片拍摄：Xie Jun)
Dormant activity at the site of the Tesla Gigafactory is fueling speculation that the company may not be able to deliver units as scheduled amid strong competition in China.
这种工地停滞的情况已经引起了一些猜测，关于特斯拉在竞争激烈的中国市场能否按照计划交付产品。
According to a post on the Municipality's official WeChat "Shanghaifabu" account recently, Tesla's factory is expected to start partial production in the second half of next year.
根据一则“上海发布”的微信文章，特斯拉上海工厂计划在明年下半年开始部分投产。
(图片来自VCG)
A construction supervisor surnamed Dai told the Global Times it can take at least about one year from start to production if construction work is in full swing for a medium-sized manufacturer. Tesla refused to disclose proceedings on the Shanghai plant when contacted by the Global Times on Wednesday.
记者咨询了一位姓戴的工厂监理。他表示对于一般规模的工厂，如果全马力开工的话，从开始到投产基本上起码要花一年左右的时间。记者周三也联系了Telsa, 但其表示不愿意透露上海工厂进程的消息。
Tesla has bet on a strategy to localize production to cut costs and extend its footprint in the Chinese market, but any benefits from that strategy will be "too slow in coming to help Tesla's pressing problems," said Zeng Zhiling, an analyst at Shanghai-based consultancy LMC Automotives.
LMC汽车市场咨询(上海)有限公司总经理曾志凌对记者分析，特斯拉押宝在生产本地化，帮助他们降低成本以及扩大在中国市场的足迹，但是该策略带来的利处“太慢”，“无法帮助特斯拉解决紧迫的难题。”
Tesla's sales in the Chinese market plunged 70 percent year-on-year to just 211 vehicles in October, following a 37 percent drop in the third quarter, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
根据中国汽车工业协会的数据，特斯拉在中国市场的销量十月份只有区区211 辆车，同比下滑了70%。而第三季度特斯拉的销量也下滑了37%。
Following plunging sales as well as tariff changes, Tesla moved to cut prices on Model 3, Model X and Model S within two months, according to media reports.
因为销量的下滑和关税政策的变化，特斯拉两个月内下调了Model 3, Model X 和 Model S的售价。
"Tariffs resulting from the China-US trade war may have taken the biggest bite out of Tesla's sales in China," Zeng told the Global Times.
"中美贸易战带来的关税（上调）对特斯拉销量下滑的影响最大，”曾表示。
(图片来自VCG)
But there might be a deeper problem for Tesla - rising competition from domestic players such as BYD Auto and NIO.
但是特斯拉还面临一个更加严峻的问题，那就是来自国产品牌愈来愈强的竞争，例如比亚迪和蔚来。
In November, BYD sold more than 28,000 EVs, up 123 percent year-on-year, while NIO delivered 3,089.
十一月，比亚迪卖了超过28,000辆电动车，同比增加了123%。蔚来同期交付了3,089辆车。
(图片来自VCG)
A taxi driver surnamed Wang told the Global Times that Roewe had already put more than 300 electric cars into use as taxis in Shanghai. The brand is about to put another 4,000 electric taxis into operation in the city, the driver disclosed.
一个临港的王姓出租车司机也对记者表示，国产品牌荣威已经投付了300多辆新能源车到上海的出租车市场。现在该品牌还计划继续投放4,000辆电动出租车进入市场。
Wang, who drives one of those Roewe cars, said that Roewe EV is comfortable to drive. These cars "only lose to Tesla in mileage, but I don't think it's a problem with so many charging stations in the city," he said.
据他说，荣威的新能源车开着很舒服。唯一和特斯拉相比的缺点应该是续航里程有些短。“但是现在市里充电桩这么多，（里程短）应该不是什么大问题。”
