Our Tesla Model Y Long Range is now built in China
Tesla has just discreetly replaced a version of the Model Y for the Canadian market. This is the declension Long battery life which, according to what the media specializing in electric vehicles reports electrek, would now be built at the automaker’s giga-factory in Shanghai, China. This would effectively be the same marketing strategy as the base rear-wheel-drive version that was recently added to the lineup.
Reduce production costs
In all likelihood, Tesla’s decision to export Long Range Model Ys from China to Canada is to reduce its production costs. Remember that, since the beginning of 2023, the Texan manufacturer has been on a mission to reduce its costs by 50%.
However, in the case of the Long Autonomy model, it is the consumers who are penalized. Not only does this Model Y cost the same as the old model ($69,990) that was built in Texas and California, but its range has been reduced from 532 to 497 kilometers, according to the manufacturer on its website.
Since Tesla does not communicate with the media and shares very little technical information on its website, it is difficult to know if the change in autonomy would come from a new battery of the LFP type as proposed by the Basic Model 3 and Y.
However, according to what electrek, this would indeed be the case. Such a statement turns out to be logical because of the lower energy density of this type of battery, even if it is more enduring and less polluting to build.
Conclusion
Although, according to Mr. Elon Musk, Giga Shanghai was originally built with the aim of satisfying local supply, it quickly became the manufacturer’s main production plant and, even, the largest factory. production of electric vehicles in the world. On her own, she is now responsible for the supply of Tesla vehicles in the European, Asian and Australian markets.
Canada is quietly adding to this list with the addition of the China-built Model Y and Model Y Long Range. And we have not finished seeing Teslas of Chinese origin criss-crossing our roads. According to the site Tesla Carriers, many Teslas built there are currently in transit heading to the Port of Vancouver. Information from local Chinese media even suggests that Tesla plans to send 10,000 Chinese-built vehicles to Canada during the 2e quarter of 2023.
