All-new Tesla Model 2 set for Australia
$32,000 EV hatch green-lit as ‘global’ model that’ll be developed and built in ChinaTesla has confirmed its forthcoming all-new compact car will be a global model, paving the way for the Chinese-built hatchback to be sold in Australia.
Dubbed the Tesla Model 2 and certain to be the most affordable – and probably best-selling – model from the US brand, the all-new hatch is currently being developed at Tesla’s new R&D centre in Shanghai, China, and will target a price of $US25,000 – or around $A32,000.
Pictured here in unofficial renders from KDesign AG, the new Tesla Model 2 will rival all-electric small cars like the Nissan LEAF, currently the world’s top-selling EV in this category, but it should be a much more affordable proposition given the LEAF is priced at $50,000.
Tesla’s plan to take its small EV to a global audience was confirmed by Tesla China president Tom Zhu, who told state media channel Xinhua Net the brand’s smallest, cheapest car will be designed and built in China and exported globally.
Zhu stated that Tesla China will “design, develop and produce an original model in China, manufactured here and sold to the whole world”.
The performance parameters of the new Tesla Model 2 are not yet clear, such as whether it will be a short-range vehicle with a 150-250km range or match its bigger siblings with 450km-plus cruising capabilities.
The new model is still a few years away, with a late 2023 or 2024 arrival expected given previous comments from Tesla executives.
Tesla China’s boss said the new R&D centre was the first of its kind outside the US and that the new compact car will be its inaugural product.
“The [R&D] centre is in Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai, where we are now. We are now building our China R&D centre right here,” Zhu said.
“This R&D centre is also the first Tesla R&D centre outside the United States. The research and development centre has all necessary disciplines, covering vehicle design, vehicle engineering, vehicle development, and vehicle testing.”
At its Battery Day presentation in September 2020, Tesla stated that the new vehicle would adopt next-gen battery technology and Tesla boss Elon Musk promised the compact car would be fully autonomous as well.
“We are confident long term we can design and manufacture a compelling $25,000 electric vehicle,” said Musk.
“It really is our goal to make an affordable electric car and I think probably in about three years we are confident we can make a very compelling $25,000 electric vehicle that is also fully autonomous.”
The Tesla Model 3 mid-size sedan is currently the brand’s most affordable model in Australia, starting from $66,900 plus on-road costs.
The larger Model S sedan and Model X SUV have also just been updated, priced from $129,990 and $149,990 respectively, and are available for order, but deliveries won’t take place until 2022.
Plenty of Australians have also placed orders for the upcoming Tesla Cybertruck, while a smaller pick-up is on the agenda too.
The self-described disruptive car-maker has a different sales strategy to conventional car brands, adopting a hands-off vehicle ordering system that shuns traditional dealerships and salespeople.
Tesla also confirmed this week it had invested $US1.5 billion into Bitcoin and is considering allowing customers to pay for vehicles via the cryptocurrency.
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