Two of Tesla’s upcoming arrivals in China have gained a vital tax exemption from the country’s ministry in charge of industry.
The Tesla Model S and X are now exempt from the vehicle purchase tax in China, as spotted on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) catalog of new energy cars (via @JayinShanghai).
The Tesla models are joined on the document by a number of other “new energy vehicles” that have also been exempted from the tax in an effort to help increase consumer interest in low-emission alternatives.
BREAKING: Tesla Model S/X listed on MIIT list for purchase tax exemption in China. @elonmusk @Tesla $TSLA pic.twitter.com/ZrToMvICdU
— Jay in Shanghai 电动 Jay (@JayinShanghai) October 11, 2022
The news comes just a day after the Model S Plaid was seen being unloaded from a trailer in China, lacking the ultrasonic sensors on the sedan built for other markets worldwide. Tesla said it would remove these sensors from the Model 3 and Model Y first this fall, followed by Model S and Model X in 2023.
The MIIT catalog document lists specs for the Model S Plaid, Model S Plaid Long Range (LR), the Model X Plaid and the Model X Plaid LR. It also includes details such as driving range, vehicle weight, battery pack weight and the total energy that the EV offers.
Customers who have ordered the Model S and X Plaid in Europe have also started receiving calls about their orders in recent weeks, with estimated deliveries set to begin in November.
The news comes after Tesla CEO Elon Musk said last year that the Model S Plaid’s launch in China would “probably” take place around March 2022.
