- Tesla's new Model 3+ will launch in China as early as September, marking the return of the sedan's longest-range variant, according to a local media report.
- The new variant is expected to be priced around RMB 270,000 ($37,610), potentially making it Tesla's longest-range model to date.
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is set to launch its Model 3+ in China as early as September, marking the return of the sedan's longest-range variant, said a local media report.
The new variant is expected to be priced around RMB 270,000 ($37,610), potentially making it Tesla's longest-range model to date, according to the report by local media outlet Cailian today.
Tesla has made a regulatory filing for the Model 3+, which is a single-motor variant with a peak motor power of 225 kW, higher than the current single-motor variant's 194 kW, according to an earlier report by CnEVPost today.
It uses ternary lithium-ion batteries, with the supplier being South Korea's LG Energy Solution.
The combination of the single-motor setup and LG batteries indicates that it will become the longest-range model among all Tesla vehicles, potentially reaching 800 kilometers or more.
This is because single-motor models are typically more energy-efficient than dual-motor models, and ternary batteries have a higher energy density than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
Currently, the Tesla model with the longest range is the long-range all-wheel-drive version of the Model 3 equipped with LG's ternary batteries, with a CLTC range of 753 kilometers. This variant currently has a starting price of RMB 285,500 in China.
The entry-level rear-wheel-drive version of the Model 3 is equipped with LFP batteries from CATL, with a CLTC range of 634 kilometers and a starting price of RMB 235,500.
Another variant of the Model 3 is the all-wheel-drive performance version equipped with LG's ternary batteries, with a CLTC range of 623 kilometers and a starting price of RMB 339,500.
Tesla had offered a single-motor long-range version of the Model 3 in China with a CLTC range of 667 kilometers, but this variant has been unavailable in China since January 2020.
On October 19, 2023, Tesla began selling the updated Model 3, or Model 3 Highland, in China, offering an entry-level rear-wheel-drive version and a long-range all-wheel-drive version.
In June 2024, the dual-motor performance version of the Model 3 began sales in China.
($1 = RMB 7.1796)
