Made-in-China Long Range RWD and Performance versions of the Model 3 are way more affordable than imported.
This week, Tesla officially introduced on its online design studio in China, the two new versions of the Made-in-China (MIC) Tesla Model 3:
These versions join the Standard Range Plus (RWD), already produced at the Tesla Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai – since December 2019.
Those three MIC versions are now only available in China, as Tesla removed versions imported from the U.S. (Tesla Factory temporarily suspended production anyway).
Customer deliveries of the Long Range RWD version are expected from June 2020, while the Performance version will be ready for Q1 2021.
The Chinese versions of the Model 3 are slightly different than those imported from the U.S., as the suppliers are different we assume, however, the specs remain similar and most importantly, MIC cars are way more affordable.
It seems that besides the local subsidies of 24,750 yuan ($3,518), Tesla also lowered the production cost and obviously there is no need to ship the cars over an ocean.
Tesla Model 3 (design studio China)
The additional important thing for Tesla is the diversification of manufacturing, which already shows its value, as the California plant is closed. Moreover, Tesla will be more secure against trade wars and can benefit from Chinese subsidies.
Another thing might be the export of MIC cars to other countries in the Asia region, and who knows, maybe even globally. The initial Tesla plan was to produce in China only the most affordable version of the 3 and Y models, but it was revised and now the Gigafactory 3 is on track to produce all versions.
The new Long Range RWD MIC Model 3 is available from 339,050 yuan ($48,187) after subsidies, which is just 13.3% more than the Standard Range Plus version. Not bad, compared to the range gain of 50% – from 445 km (277 miles) NEDC to 668 km (415 miles) NEDC. Of course, the real-world range is lower by a quarter or a third compared to NEDC, but the value proposition seems significantly better.
The upcoming Performance version will start from 419,800 yuan ($59,664), but that’s before subsidies (the amount will be confirmed for 2021 at a later time). That’s a big difference compared to 509,900 yuan for the imported version, although the acceleration is worse: 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 instead of 3.1 seconds.
Tesla online offer in China (USD prices as of April 10, 2020):
* after including a subsidy of 24,750 yuan ($3,518)
Gallery: Tesla Model 3 (design studio China)
15 Photos Additional Long Range RWD MIC Model 3 data: Source: Read Full Article
