Typically, when a new Tesla model debuts, it comes out in the US first, and then, because manufacturing ramp-up takes a while, it comes out later in markets like China and Europe. For example, we got the Model Y in the US months ago here, but Tesla had planned to make China and Europe wait until their local Gigafactories started production.
China started cranking out the Model Y quickly alongside the Model 3, but Gigafactory Berlin isn't running yet, which means that European buyers would theoretically have a bit of a wait in front of them before taking delivery of their cars. But it seems the Big T has changed tactics, according to a report published on Monday by Electrek, and it's shipping Chinese-built Model Ys to Europe.
Not only is it shipping the cars already, but customers are starting to take delivery. Tesla has already exported in excess of 8,000 vehicles (also according to Electrek), and it's estimated that the vast majority of those were destined for Europe, where the first deliveries have started happening in Germany, with Norway and the Netherlands expected to get in on the fun soon.
Current estimates have Gigafactory Berlin coming online sometime around October of this year, having already blown the initial July timeline. Given Tesla's history of missing deadlines coupled with the global semiconductor shortage, it's hard to say whether or not it will get pushed again.
