Tesla’s Chinese Gigafactory has gone from groundbreaking to trial assemblies in a matter of just eight months. The construction work at the factory started in January this year. Within just three days of applying, on August 19, Tesla received a comprehensive acceptance certificate from the Chinese government. On August 26, Teslarati reported that leaked images and videos showed Tesla conducting trial production runs of its China-made Model 3. Then came the reports that Tesla would unveil its China-made Model 3 on August 29 at the opening ceremony of the Shanghai World Artificial Intelligence Conference. According to Inside EVs, Tesla actually showcased its first China-made Model 3 on August 29.

The pace of the progress at the Gigafactory has been impressive, surprising many analysts—and even Musk. Many Tesla skeptics had completely ignored Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 in their estimates.