Tesla Model 3 Long-Range option ready to go in China

Tesla is now officially selling the locally produced Model 3 with a bigger battery pack and rear-wheel drive in China. Also new on the market is the Performance version with AWD with pricing being adapted as sales go.

As Bloomberg reports, the new long-range version costs around 350,000 yuan before subsidies, the equivalent of around 46,000 euros. That would be a surcharge of less than ten per cent compared to the current Model 3 Standard Range+ (323,000 yuan). Currently, a state subsidy of 25,000 yuan is being added, which makes the car the equivalent of 3,250 euros cheaper. The parallel now also locally produced performance version of the Model 3 with all-wheel drive will be available in China for 419,800 yuan after subsidy, the equivalent of a good 54,500 euros.

According to the NEDC range measure still in use in China, the range of the model with a large battery is supposed to be 650 kilometres, while the SR+ model will have a range of 445 kilometres. It is still unclear whether the new high-range Model 3 version will be combined with four-wheel drive in China or whether the rear-wheel-drive version will be used that is no longer available in the rest of the world. Rumour has it that it could be the latter version – probably also because of the relatively low surcharge.

Tesla removed the Model 3 Long Range with a rear-wheel-drive from its range in the summer of 2019, but in some markets (such as Germany) this version was never officially on sale. Customers had to select a four-wheel-drive model and then have Tesla switch to rear-wheel drive by phone or online. Since then, Tesla has concentrated on 4WD models, either dual motor or performance, for the large battery. This should reduce complexity in production.

While the Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai has already returned to the level before the corona crisis with 3,000 vehicles per week, the construction of the Gigafactory number four, Giga-Berlin in Brandenburg is progressing slower. According to a report by local newspaper Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten, construction work in Grünheide has stalled somewhat. The reason for this is the necessary corrections to the permit application for the factory. Though responsible for some delays, these are no threat to the health of the project.

And lastly, some news about the Model Y: Tesla now offers an optional tow hitch for the electric vehicle. The option has been available in the configurator for 1,050 euros for a few days. The maximum permissible load is 1,600 kilograms.

bloomberg.com, teslarati.com (China), pnn.de (Giga-Berlin), insideevs.com (tow hitch)