Tesla production in the US may be in a holding pattern for now, but in China, the carmaker's plant in Shanghai is back online and cranking out electric cars. And the company might have a special longer-range model just for China coming in the near future.
Bloomberg reported Tuesday that Tesla plans to soon launch a Model 3 with 404 miles of range, according to sources familiar with the matter. Note that China and the US do not use identical systems to rate an EV's range, so it's not clear what kind of range this particular Model 3 would receive on the EPA cycle. Here in the US, the least expensive Model 3 returns an estimated 280 miles of range, though pricier versions return an estimated 322 miles.
Nevertheless, it'd be a major boost from the current Model 3 variant on sale in China, which goes 280 miles on a single charge. Tesla started building cars locally this past January with a starting price of about $45,000. According to Bloomberg's sources, the new Model 3 variant will start around $50,000, but that could change as the company finalizes details.
Most importantly, the longer-range model would, like the current variant, qualify for government subsidies to help Chinese buyers bring a Tesla home. The company will certainly need to pull out all the stops as the country begins to slowly ease restrictions following mass lockdowns and quarantines during the coronavirus pandemic.
Tesla did not immediately respond to Roadshow's request for comment.
