A step closer to the first Shanghai-made Tesla car. The first 220-kilovolt transmission line to power the Tesla Shanghai gigafactory was up and running in October. It uses 55 kilometers of cable and about 17 kilometers of ducts. The project took less than 6 months to complete, almost half of the time that is needed for the project of the same size.

"The construction period was very short, and there was some extreme weather. We got involved in the project early and offered our service proactively, so we could understand and deal with its demands at different stages of construction." Liu Ming, General Manager of Shanghai Lingang Economic Development Co., said.

The Tesla Gigafactory is the U.S. carmaker's first overseas production site, and it was put together at lightning speed. Trial production began in October, just 10 months after the plant broke ground in Shanghai's Lingang New Area.

"We want to use the Tesla project as a model to promote its experience and models on a larger scale, improving the overall speed of doing business in Shanghai to Tesla speed," Zhang Jianming, deputy director of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, said.   

Lingang formally became part of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone in August. It has unveiled 50 preferential policies related to administrative approvals, finance, taxation, industrial development, housing to make it a more friendly place to do business and live.  

The New Area will be benchmarked against high international standards and common practices to compete with the top free trade zones worldwide and help further open up the Chinese economy. 

The German automation company Lenze registered in Lingang in 2006. Company executives say the new personnel and housing policies have helped them attract more talents and they've now moved their Asia research and development center to Lingang. 

"Our production is very big this year and we need a lot more workers. The local government has introduced us to the job market place and provided public rental housing or subsidies to workers. The government has more service awareness and works more efficiently," Sean Xie, Lenze's East Asia President, said.  

The New Area promises to offer easier capital flow, improved transport and relaxed regulations for personnel and communications. Authorities say its experience could be promoted nationwide to stimulate the country's reform and opening up.