EV maker Tesla breaks ground on Megapack energy storage battery factory in Shanghai

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese state media have reported that electric vehicle maker Tesla has begun construction of a factory in Shanghai to make its Megapack energy storage batteries. The $200 million plant in Shanghai’s Lingang pilot free trade zone will be the first Tesla battery plant outside the United States. Tesla opened an EV plant in Shanghai in 2019. According to Tesla’s website, each Megapack can store more than 3.9 megawatt hours of energy — enough to power an average of 3,600 homes for one hour. They are designed mainly for utility companies and commercial facilities. Such storage units have become increasingly important with the growth in solar and wind energy.