Tesla Model Y Standard Range lives on in China
Tesla dropped the cheaper Model Y in the US, but it's launched the EV in China at a more affordable price.
Tesla has a new Model Y for China, despite a string of controversies around the country banning its electric cars from military and state sites for security reasons. And it's a pretty familiar EV to those of us in the US, because it's the Model Y Standard Range reborn.
Reuters reported on Thursday that the Model Y Standard Range is now available for order in China with an advertised 326-mile range. That rating isn't the Environmental Protection Agency's tested range: The electric SUV's Standard Range version managed about 250 miles stateside. CEO Elon Musk said the figure was too low even before the model launched in the US; Tesla quickly scrapped it after about a month on sale. The Model Y Standard Range in China also uses a battery from CATL, the country's battery behemoth.
News about the Chinese Model Y variant comes despite the state government's restriction and ban of the vehicles from military installations, government compounds and agencies -- which prompted Musk to directly tell customers that Tesla does not spy on drivers. (Tesla does not operate a public relations department to field requests for comment.) Sensors, cameras and other technology in Tesla vehicles are at the core of the country's concern, as officials fear the vehicles could track individuals and record sensitive information.
Despite all this, Reuters reported that Tesla sales rose in China during the month of June: The automaker sold 28,138 EVs last month, up from 21,936 in May.
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