According to a tweet published earlier today by Tesla owner and enthusiast @ray4tesla, the electric vehicle (EV) pioneer has increased the price of the locally manufactured Model 3 Standard Range Plus (SR+) in China by 1,000 CNY ($155.46 USD or $188.66 CAD).
@Teslacn has increased the price of MIC Model 3 SR+ by 1000 CNY to 250,900. pic.twitter.com/BCYI8aQdiq
— Ray (@ray4tesla) May 8, 2021
The made in China Model 3 is currently being produced at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai. Tesla posted remarkable sales in the region for both the Model 3 and Model Y in March, and the company has also started exporting Model 3 units being manufactured at Giga Shanghai to Europe.
The Giga Shanghai-made Model 3 SR+ saw a 10% decrease in price down to 271,550 CNY (42,215 USD) in May 2020, and went down another 8% to 249,900 CNY ($38,850 USD) in October 2020, where it has stayed since then.
The reason behind this (admittedly small) price hike currently remains unknown. The slight increase in sticker price becomes even more puzzling when you account for the fact that the Model 3 SR+ just obtained an exemption from purchase tax in China back in March.
Following the 1,000 CNY increase in price, the Giga Shanghai-made Model 3 SR+ now costs 250,900 CNY ($39,005 USD) in China. As far as we can tell, Tesla had no Chinese culture-based motivations to making the small increment either.
Tesla also recently increased the price of its entry Model 3 and Model Y in the United States earlier this week, with rumours the automaker has already sold out of its Q2 inventory.
