Tesla’s Elon Musk tried to downplay considerations about the electric carmaker’s operations in China last month after a three-week shutdown at its Shanghai plant, but that country’s closures and strict restrictions aimed at reducing COVID-19 hit the company’s production and sales in April and the effect may continue throughout this month. Tesla sold just 1,512 battery-powered 3 and Y models in April, down 87% from a year ago and down 98% from 65,814 in March, China Passenger said this week. Automobile Association. It’s the company’s lowest sales volume in China since April 2020, shortly after its Shanghai Gigafactory began generating…