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In China, Tesla's Cybertruck EV Attracts Attention and Orders Despite 2-Year Delivery Wait

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Tesla's Cybertruck EV drew attention and generated orders at an industrial event in Shanghai, despite the fact that it is not yet accessible in mainland China. Despite slower Model 3 and Model Y sales, Chinese consumers continue to be interested in Tesla's new offerings. Tesla's Gigafactory in Shanghai saw a 16.7% increase in deliveries in May.

A Tesla Cybertruck EV
Credit: Daniel Ren

This comes as Chinese buyers continue to express strong interest in Tesla's new models, despite slow sales of the Model 3 and Model Y.


At the Carbon Neutrality Expo in Shanghai, scores of tourists gathered to Tesla's pavilion to get a look of the futuristic angular pickup truck. Surprisingly, some tourists made orders for the Cybertruck despite being advised of a minimum two-year wait time. In contrast, booths displaying battery-powered vehicles from Chinese automakers BYD, Nio, and Changan received much less visitors.


The excitement over the Cybertruck, which Tesla began delivering in the United States in November, comes after the company's Gigafactory in Shanghai reported a 16.7% month-on-month rise in deliveries in May. According to figures from the China Passenger Car Association, the facility that produces the Model 3 and Model Y for both domestic and international markets delivered 72,573 units last month, up from 62,167 in April.

A Tesla Cybertruck EV
Credit: DPA

Many Chinese buyers have found the Cybertruck's innovative look and representation of the future of transportation to be well worth the wait. Tian Qingwen, a professor at North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, who has already placed an order, stated, "I was told that it will not be delivered before 2026 due to overwhelming demand from people around the globe. But it is a dream vehicle that I definitely will buy and own."


A Tesla sales employee confirmed that the company received a significant number of orders for the Cybertruck during the four-day carbon-neutrality expo. Although the EV has a base price of $60,990 for the rear-wheel drive model in the US, it has yet to be delivered to mainland Chinese consumers, despite Tesla accepting orders in China since 2021.


Gao Shen, an independent analyst in Shanghai, praised Tesla as the global pioneer driving the electrification of the automotive industry. He added, "Apart from the Cybertruck, Chinese consumers are also expecting Elon Musk to test its FSD [Full Self-Driving] autonomous driving software here." It was reported last week by Reuters that Tesla is preparing to register FSD with Chinese authorities, paving the way for testing on the mainland.


In 2020, Tesla's deliveries in mainland China increased by 37% to reach 603,664 units, making it the company's second-largest market. In the US, its largest market, sales grew by 25% to 654,888 units in the same year.


Tesla's absence from the Shanghai Auto Show last year and the Auto China Show in Beijing in April, the two largest automotive events in China, was due to concerns about potential incidents, according to insiders. In April 2021, the firm received negative feedback on social media from Chinese customers after a lady wearing a T-shirt with the phrases "brake malfunction" and a Tesla logo climbed on top of a Tesla on exhibit at the Shanghai Auto Show. She was hoping to attract attention to an accident involving her Model 3, which she blamed on the firm. In response to market regulator pressure, Tesla later provided the owner with a data log from the car.

 
  • Tesla's Cybertruck EV attracted attention and generated orders at an industrial show in Shanghai, despite not being available in mainland China yet.

  • Chinese consumers remain interested in Tesla's new products, despite slower sales of the Model 3 and Model Y.

  • Tesla's Gigafactory in Shanghai reported a 16.7% increase in deliveries in May.


Source: SCMP

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