During the past month of March, Tesla delivered a total of 10,160 vehicles in China, its highest figure so far in the largest market for electric cars in the world. This data shows that despite the coronavirus crisis, Tesla has been able to maintain its competitiveness.
This is possible thanks to the company’s online sales strategy, which has been reinforced by new deliveries without direct contact. This allow users to pick up their vehicle without having to interact directly with Tesla personnel (the car is opened remotely, while the documents to be signed are on the dashboard; after completing them, the customer can leave them at a collection point).
In March, Tesla reached a market share of 30% of all-electric cars sold in China. As can be seen, the company’s deliveries in the Asian country have been climbing actively since the opening of the Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai, since in January it sold 2,620 cars, while in February it rose to 3,900 units.
The main culprit behind these excellent results is the Tesla Model 3, whose Standard Range Plus RWD access version has been manufactured at Tesla’s Asian plant since December. Being produced on Chinese soil, the model can dodge high tariffs on cars made in the United States, as well as qualify for the country’s state aid plans, making its price much more attractive.
Tesla’s results have even more merit if we observe that car sales have decreased by 40.8% compared to the previous year due to the health crisis. The firm currently has the goal of producing around 150,000 vehicles annually at the Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai. However, this figure will increase next year with the arrival of the Model Y, an SUV that is likely to exceed in sales the already successful Model 3.