Tesla has utilized for a gross sales license for a brand new variant of the Mannequin 3 sedan in China. The badge on the rear reads Mannequin 3+, and it’s a single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) trim, which, nonetheless, includes a dearer ternary NMC battery from LG, at the moment accessible solely in all-wheel drive (AWD) Lengthy-range or Efficiency variations.
Tesla at the moment provides three variations of the Mannequin 3 sedan in China: RWD, Lengthy Vary AWD, and Efficiency AWD.
The entry-level RWD model includes a single motor and a 634 km CLTC vary, due to a lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery from CATL, which has a 62.5 kWh capability. As LFP batteries are extra reasonably priced than NMC, this trim prices 235,500 yuan (32,830 USD).
The Lengthy-range AWD model provides a 753 km CLTC vary, due to a ternary NMC 78.4 kWh battery from LG. This trim prices 285,500 yuan (39,800 USD).
The brand new model of the Mannequin 3, just lately disclosed by the Chinese language regulator, nonetheless, combines the entry-level RWD variant with a dearer NMC LG battery.
Because the RWD single-motor trim has decrease vitality consumption than the AWD dual-motor (11.2 kWh vs 12.1 kWh per 100 km), so putting in an NMC LG battery in a single-motor variant might end in a Mannequin 3 with the very best vary ever.
Editor’s remark
Nonetheless, plenty of unknown variables are at play, particularly the capability of the NMC LG battery, which wasn’t disclosed by the regulator. If it’s gonna be the identical 78.4 kWh utilized in AWD, we’d quickly see a Lengthy-range RWD Mannequin 3 variant in China. We’ll monitor the discharge of battery capability.
