Elon Musk Dad Dances in Shanghai to Celebrate First Made in China Teslas

Tesla founder Elon Musk is back in China this week, and so naturally he’s back in the Chinese media (and social media) spotlight. Having previously gone viral for eating streetfood in Shanghai, feasting on hotpot with Grimes in Beijing, and holding a bewildering chat about AI and aliens with Alibaba founder Jack Ma, Musk is making online waves this time around for his awkward dance moves. Oh, and celebrating the first China-made Tesla Model 3s.

The sedans were among the first to roll off of the production line at Tesla’s China Gigafactory in Shanghai with Musk presiding over a “delivery ceremony” that was livestreamed on numerous platforms in China. As dull as these kinds of events can often be, Musk has a well-established tendency for making them newsworthy — though Tesla shareholders will be relieved that at least on this occasion there were no metal balls and shattered windows involved.

Instead, Musk decided to demonstrate his awkward dad-like dance moves, video of which quickly spread on the Chinese internet and on Twitter:

Biggest surprise at the Tesla gigafactory ceremony to mark first Model 3 deliveries? @elonmusk dancing on stage (part of his charm offensive in Shanghai in front of employees and government officials?) pic.twitter.com/fXnMdgkxuN

— Selina Wang (@selinawangtv) January 7, 2020

Another part of that “charm offensive” was to gift the first Model 3s made in Shanghai to employees at the factory late last year.

In more serious news, Musk announced during the ceremony that Tesla’s new Model Y SUV will also be produced at the Shanghai factory.

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Elon Musk and China: A Love Story