Tesla has opened orders for Model 3 to customers in China – TechCrunch

You're here currently takes orders for Model 3 customers in China, according to its website.

Reuters was the first to report that Tesla was taking orders in China.

Tesla will not confirm or comment on the information published on its own website dedicated to China. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a tweet on Thursday that some shipments to customers in China would likely start in March, but "April is safer."

Customers must place a deposit of 8,000 yuan, or about $ 1,153, to begin booking, according to information available on Tesla's website in China. They are finally asked to configure the car at their convenience (items such as the color of the paint and other features). Once the car purchase contract is completed, the remaining amount is due.

According to the FAQ section, Tesla will make most options (including the Performance variant) available in the US also available to Chinese customers. It is not known if the mid-range version of Model 3 will be sold in China.

Tesla has had mixed success in China, home to the largest electric vehicle market in the world. When Tesla began shipping Model S vehicles in China in 2014, the company began recruiting and eventually recruited 600 people. Tesla has opened stores and service centers and set up fast charging stations, called superchargers.

Tesla sold around 3,500 cars in 2014, well below its sales target, behind the plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles produced by Chinese competitors BYD and BAIC. These sales continued to slow down in early 2015. Tesla has managed a turnaround in China by 2016, tripling its sales compared to the previous year and has extended its gains until 2017.

At present, it faces new obstacles due to the pressure exerted by the new tariffs.

Last month, Tesla announced its intention to accelerate the construction of a plant in Shanghai, as tariffs, shipping costs and missed incentives continue to drive up the price of the company's electric vehicles and curb demand.

Trade tensions between the United States and China have led to tariffs of 40% on Tesla vehicles, against 15% tariffs on motor vehicles imported from other countries. The tariffs, combined with the shipping cost of its vehicles by a shipping carrier and the lack of access to financial incentives for locally produced electric vehicles, have put the company at a disadvantage, the company warned.

As a result, Tesla said it now operates at a cost disadvantage of between 55% and 60% compared to the same vehicle manufactured in China.