Tesla Gigafactory 3 in China shuts up shop for two days

Tesla has slammed the brakes on production at its Shanghai factory, according to a new report from Reuters.

According to the outlet, it has reviewed a "notice" from Tesla to its suppliers and staff that stated "production would be suspended for Wednesday and Thursday (16 and 17 March 2022)".

The notice did not specify why the plant had been closed, however it's believed that China's tightened COVID-19 restrictions – to kerb a current outbreak in the country – are likely to blame.

Currently in Shanghai, local authorities have asked residents to not leave home or work for up to 14 days as it conducts surveillance testing and contact tracing.

On average, Tesla's Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai can manufacture 2018 vehicles a day, with production destined for Australia, Germany, Japan, and China itself.

It unclear how badly international supply will be impacted by the shut down.

In a separate notice also reviewed by Reuters, it claims that Tesla also "asked suppliers to estimate how many workers were needed to achieve full production and to provide details of workers affected by COVID restrictions."