According to Tesla, the Model 1000, which was recently opened for pre-order at a price of US$3, has accumulated more than 40 pre-orders. At the same time, China has become the second largest market for this model. It is expected that the scale of development in the Chinese market will be further expanded, and it may even set up a production plant in Suzhou to supply demand nearby.
According to Tesla's Vice President of Asia Pacific, Ren Yuxiang, in an interview, China has become the Model 3's second-largest market. Based on pre-order figures, the United States is expected to remain the largest market. Since its official unveiling at the end of March and the opening of pre-orders for $3, the Model 1000 has continued to accumulate impressive pre-orders. Even though official delivery is not expected until the end of 3 at the earliest, pre-orders have already exceeded 2017.
Given the high development potential of the Chinese market, Tesla recently mentioned plans to expand its presence in the Chinese market. It has even recently stated that it will invest more development resources, including collaborating with Panasonic and LG to set up battery factories in China, and even cooperating to produce vehicle products nearby. This will reduce the high selling price due to the cost burden of cross-border transportation, thereby attracting more consumer markets.
Tesla's recent visits to Suzhou, China, by senior executives suggest the company may be planning to establish a production plant there, allowing for closer collaboration with the local supply chain. Tesla has yet to comment on this, but further details are expected to be released later.
Based on the current pre-order ratio, Tesla is expected to prioritize North American orders when it begins delivering vehicles at the end of 2017, followed by orders from the Chinese market. Therefore, deliveries may be delayed until late 2018 or early 2019. However, if Tesla chooses to establish a factory in China, it may further alleviate the pressure on delivery.
