Recently, Tesla received the Lingang Area Construction and Development Management Committee’s necessary permits to begin works on Phase 2 of Giga Shanghai. This new expansion of the factory will allow Tesla to start producing its new model ahead of schedule, below the Model 3 in both size and price.
According to a series of reports, the production line of the hypothetical “Model C” or “Model 2” will be ready in the second half of 2021. Therefore, the compact electric could start to roll off the assembly lines before the end of the year, while the first deliveries nationwide would be scheduled for early 2022.
This vehicle will be the first development from the Tesla design team in China. It will be notably more affordable than the rest of the manufacturer’s range: with a starting price of just 160,000 yuan.
What will the aesthetics of the cheapest Tesla be like to date? Brazilian designer KDesign AG offers us a relatively realistic vision of the model through two recreations based on the body of the Toyota Corolla, one of the world’s most popular C-segment hatchbacks. The most striking element of his design is found in the use of the second-generation Roadster’s optics, which would allow him to differentiate himself from the lines of the Model S/Model X and the Model 3/Model Y.