China's record-high exports in August sent the company's Model 3 sales in China plummeting.

Data released Thursday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed that Tesla Model Y sales stood at 11,576 units in August, second only to the Hongguang Mini EV's 32,847 and the Qin Plus DM-i's 12,574 units.

The data includes the top 15 selling models in China in August, with the Model 3 excluded.

However, data released by the CPCA on Wednesday showed that Tesla China's wholesale sales in August reached a record 44,264 units, including 31,379 units exported.

That means Tesla China sold 12,885 units in August and China-made Model 3 sales were 1,309, the lowest for the model since deliveries began last January.

(Graphic by CnEVPost)

Tesla currently produces the Model 3 and Model Y in its Shanghai Gigafactory, and they supply not only the Chinese market but also overseas markets.

In late July, Tesla said on Weibo that the company had completed the transition of its Shanghai plant as a major vehicle export center.

Tesla China's exports in August were also the highest since data became available, further evidence of the company's use of the Shanghai plant as an export hub.

On top of that, the Model Y's popularity in China may have also led Tesla to tilt production capacity toward the SUV model.

Daily production of the Model Y at Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory has reached 1,000 units as of August 21, surpassing the Model 3's daily output of 800 units, according to Twitter user @bentv_sh.