Tesla suspends Shanghai factory output for Covid

US automaker Tesla is suspending production at its Shanghai factory for four days after the financial hub said on Sunday it would lock down in two stages to carry out mass testing for Covid 19, two people familiar with the matter said.

The company has notified its workers and suppliers of the move, the people said.

It initially attempted to create a closed loop to continue production and called workers in on Sunday, one of the sources said. However, it allowed them to leave that evening after it decided it did not have enough provisions for them, the source added.

Tesla declined to comment on whether production had been suspended. In a statement to Reuters it said that it always strived to fulfil its epidemic prevention responsibilities and that it believed Shanghai's Covid-19 measures helped lay the foundation for the city's future development.

Shanghai said on Sunday it would lock down the city in two stages to carry out Covid-19 testing over nine days.