Tesla Starts Pre-Orders For China-Made Model 3 On May 31

It is official now. Tesla will start accepting pre-orders for China-made Model 3 from Friday, May 31, 2019.

This was officially announced by Tesla via the official Weibo account.

Tesla’s social media post, announcing pre-orders for the Model 3 made in China also shared an image taken inside a Model 3 at the Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai.

Tesla also confirmed that on Friday it will reveal China made Model 3’s price. On Tuesday, the automaker had urged people to do a guessing game by submitting expected prices of the Model 3 made in China.

Tesla has been selling Model 3 in China for so many months. But they were the upper-end versions of the vehicle.

Having been imported from the U.S, those Model 3 vehicles were not eligible for the local subsidy and faced import tariffs and turned costly for the customers.

Price cushion to be China strategy

The strategy for China market was articulated by CEO Elon Musk. He stated Tesla will use its new manufacturing facility Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai to deliver affordable cars. That puts the focus on making lower-end versions of the Model 3 domestically to avoid import tariffs.

According to market watchers, Tesla’s opening of pre-orders for China-made Model 3 is a bold move as it could result in attracting potential Model 3 buyers who will be ready to hold on for the affordable versions to be made at the Gigafactory.

It will also push the company into high gear to get Gigafactory 3 ready for production at the earliest.

Gigafactory 3 readying for China production

Tesla has been trying to build the new China factory at the earliest. A recent Gigafactory 3 drone flyover video showed the building looking almost ready and only production lines are left for completion. If no delay crops up, Tesla is expecting to start China production in September.

Gigafactory 3 has the mandate to produce the affordable versions of the Model 3 and Model Y for the Chinese market.

Tesla will be leveraging the local production facility to compete in China’s fast-growing electric car segment by flaunting vehicles that are competitively priced for a quick edge over local electric car players.

A short history of Tesla narrated to China audience

Meanwhile, the pre-order announcement also incorporated a short history of the vehicles that Tesla produced over the years.

From its debut with Tesla Roadster to the current favorite Tesla Model 3, there is mention of all major models in the short history.

The post recalls that 2008 was a watershed when Tesla released the Roadster as the first electric car. That was noted for its performance, good acceleration, and driving performance and established the superiority of electric vehicles to traditional internal combustion engines.

In 2012, Tesla launched the Model S as a pure electric luxury sedan and in 2015 came up the Model X as a high-performance, safe, and intelligent SUV that was awarded a 5-Star Safety Rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In 2017, Model 3 came into the market and impressed all with future-oriented design and became the U.S. luxury car champion in 2018.

The narrative concludes by reminding that May 31, 2019, will be the date for Made in China Model 3’s pre-order.