There is a report from sources in China that the new Tesla Model 3 will be announced in China on September 1 for a price of RMB199800 (US$27500). Several in the Tesla and Tesla China community are claiming the rumors and leaks are fake or wrong. There are claims that the pictures are real but the pricing is not.
A major Youtube channel is revealing an updated Tesla Model 3.
It is currently 8:17 AM, September 1, 2023 in China. This kind of announcement could be made first thing in the morning or after markets close.
This would means an announcement in minutes to 8 hours (IF the rumor is correct on the date of the announcement.)
A Tesla employee said that this is the official image. See you on the official website in 26 minutes! pic.twitter.com/Wox53px6QD
— Chris Zheng (@ChrisZheng001) August 31, 2023
2023 09 01 , The New Model 3 debuts.
— Tesla China Analyst (@teslashanghai) August 31, 2023
Fake NEWS. https://t.co/IZyc8IFzBx
— Chris Zheng (@ChrisZheng001) August 31, 2023
Domestic media reports Tesla’s new #Model 3 will go on sale on September 1 as scheduled, with a price of 199800
— 大趙 (@zhongwen2005) August 31, 2023
The article states that Tesla began official production of the new model 3 on September 1 and is aiming to deliver it in concentrated batches in September https://t.co/QETaCRu3mj
— 大趙 (@zhongwen2005) August 31, 2023
🚨Possible Project Highland Model 3 photos leaked a few hours ahead of the expected unveiling.
What do you think? Legit? Sure looks like it.
h/t: @JocPelletier pic.twitter.com/51s5zRl958
— Drive Tesla 🇨🇦 (@DriveTeslaca) August 31, 2023
This would be a big deal because lowering the starting price by US$4500 from $32000 to $27500 could double the addressable market. It would put the China Tesla Model 3 directly against some BYD electric vehicles but also against more inexpensive ICE vehicles.
Ark Invest had an analysis of total addressable market based on vehicle price in the USA. China new car buyers are very price sensitive.
The Tesla Model S and Model X dropping prices $10,000 on a shorter range starting version by seems to double the market for those vehicles as well.
The Tesla Model 3
The Tesla Model Y was by far the world’s best-selling EV in the first half of the year. No surprise, since it’s also the best-selling car overall so far. The Model 3 comes in second.
Looking at the starting price, we can see that both Tesla models are also the most expensive of… pic.twitter.com/Beuk6ycI5M
— Roland Pircher (@piloly) August 20, 2023
Highland project update:
1. Appearance：The new model 3 looks overall very attractive, even more so than the Model S, especially the new headlights.
2. Production：The trial production phase has ended. Production ramp-up with stress testing will begin on August 25th. By early… pic.twitter.com/nk3Hc84X4F
— Tesla China Analyst (@teslashanghai) August 20, 2023
BREAKING: A camouflaged Project Highland @Tesla Model 3 has been spotted in China’s Xinjiang region.
If recent reports are accurate, as of August 14 Giga Shanghai is now only producing the new version of the Model 3, after a two week transition period.
Launch soon @elonmusk? pic.twitter.com/Nfo5YmSxmk
— Drive Tesla 🇨🇦 (@DriveTeslaca) August 15, 2023
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Wow. Between ~$20k and $40k lies ~75% of the auto market, with ~50% from ~20k-$30k! Actually, I think the curve bends close to $10k if Ark had included microcars, which are getting more popular all the time, and allowed much more outside the U.S. But quadracycles like the Citreon AMI or Microlino are not counted as cars in the chart, so it skews high in cost and nearly vertical.
But anyway, what’s this doing to Tesla’s margin? That’s what will determine the movement of the stock price on this news.
Tesla is, as Musk has pointed out, more than a car company now, but the other things – Semis, Cybertruck, charging stations, Teslabots, are not making a profit yet. FSD will never happen under the current definition of 100% crash-free automated driving. At some point a confluence of acceptable risk, non-driver but also non-manufacturer liability will have to be worked out with insurance and legal systems, and there’s no sign of that happening yet. This problem will have Tesla chasing ever diminishing percentages of accidents per mile at ever increasing costs.