The Model Y contributed 79.01 percent of Tesla's retail sales in China in August and 71.42 percent in January-August.
The Model Y continued to contribute the lion's share of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) sales in China last month.
The SUV saw retail sales of 51,117 units in China in August, up 64.3 percent from 31,112 units in the same month a year ago, and up 116.3 percent from 23,632 units in July, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shared by local automotive media outlet Dongchedi.
Tesla has a factory in Shanghai that produces the Model 3 sedan as well as the Model Y. Mass deliveries of the locally produced models in China began in January 2020 and January 2021, respectively.
Electric vehicles (EVs) made at the plant sold 64,694 vehicles in China in August and exported 19,465, according to data released by the CPCA on September 8.
That means the Model Y contributed 79.01 percent of Tesla's retail sales in China in August, up from 75.21 percent in July while down from 90.17 percent a year earlier, CnEVPost's calculations show.
In the January-August period, retail sales of the Model Y in China were 278,681 units, up 61.63 percent year-on-year.
Tesla sold 390,222 vehicles in China in the first eight months of the year, up 62.23 percent year-on-year. The Model Y contributed 71.42 percent of Tesla's sales in China during that period.
Model 3 retail sales in China were 13,577 units in August, up 300.50 percent from 3,390 units in the same month last year, and up 74.27 percent from 7,791 units in July.
The sedan contributed 20.99 percent of Tesla's retail sales in China in August, down from 24.79 percent in July and up from 9.83 percent a year earlier.
In the January-August period, Model 3 retail sales in China were 111,541 units, up 63.74 percent year-on-year, contributing 28.58 percent of Tesla's sales in China.
Tesla cut the prices of two pricier Model Y variants -- Model Y Long Range and Model Y Performance in China by RMB 14,000 yuan ($1,910), or about 4 percent, on August 14. The entry-level Model Y was unchanged at the time.
With this move, the starting price of the Model Y Long Range has been reduced to RMB 299,900 from RMB 313,900, and the starting price of the Model Y Performance has been reduced to RMB 349,900 from RMB 363,900. The entry-level Model Y remains at RMB 263,900.
On September 4, the Model Y Long Range's wait time in China was extended to six to eight weeks, up from two to six weeks previously. The wait time for the other two versions of the SUV remain at 2-6 weeks as before.
Tesla unexpectedly began pre-sales of the revamped Model 3 in China on September 1, and then had the model debuted at the China International Fair For Trade in Services in Beijing.
The new Model 3 continues to be offered in a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version, but the previously available dual-motor Performance version has been replaced by a dual-motor Long Range version. The pre-sale price for the entry-level Model 3 in China starts at RMB 259,900, which is RMB 28,000, or 12 percent, higher than the old model's starting price of RMB 231,900.
Before the updated Model 3 was announced, some Tesla stores in China had already begun accepting pre-orders for the model from customers.
($1 = RMB 7.3440)
Tesla delivers 64,694 vehicles in China in Aug, exports 19,465 from Shanghai plant
