by LIU Mengran

A team under Elon Musk has placed an order with a leading Chinese maker of heterojunction solar equipment, with shipment expected in the first week of May, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The export of semiconductor-like products requires filing and approval from relevant Chinese authorities, and that process is still being advanced, the person said.

The source said the solar orders tied to Musk's businesses fall into two categories: one linked to SpaceX for space applications, and the other tied to Tesla for ground-based use. Potential Tesla-related orders are still under discussion and involve several TOPCon equipment manufacturers.