Tesla Plans to Build Longer Range Model 3 in China, as China Sales Boom in 2019

Tesla is applying to offer a new version of their China-made Model 3, according to a document from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The document revealed that the specs of the new variant are similar to those of Model 3s currently on sale. However, compared to the current China-made Model 3, the new version has increased in curb weight, which has made people believe it would be a capable of longer range trips. The Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD is version of the Model 3 that was discontinued in the US, but could make a comeback in China.

The current China-made Model 3 has a standard driving range of 445 kilometers, but Tesla also sells imported Model 3s with longer driving ranges of 595 kilometers and 590 kilometers in China. It’s expected that the new China-made variant will have a driving range similar to or even longer than those of the high-performance versions.

SEE ALSO: Tesla Held Ceremony for Delivering the First Batch of Made-in-China Model 3 Cars

According to a document submitted to the SEC by Tesla, China remained its second largest consumer market in 2019. The electric vehicle maker generated around $3 billion of revenue in China, up 69.55% from $1.76 billion in 2018.

Tesla said in the document that manufacturing cars in China, the world’s largest market for electric vehicles, is crucial to the company’s expansion and sales strategy. Tesla’s Shanghai gigafactory, which started delivering cars in December last year, has an annual production capacity of 150,000 Model 3 vehicles. It’s scheduled that by the end of this year, all Tesla’s Model 3 production will be be re-located to China.