Tesla China earlier today reduced the prices of the Standard Range Plus (SR+) and Long Range (LR) Model 3’s, making them up to $6,900 CAD cheaper.
It was rumoured that along with the price drop, Giga Shanghai would begin manufacturing the Model 3 with the new LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries. The automaker was approved to use the new batteries, which are cobalt-free and cheaper to produce, earlier this year.
While also not as energy dense as the previous nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cells, it appears Tesla was still able to squeeze out more range as the Design Studio is now also showing a new range estimate for the SR+.
Before the update earlier this morning, the SR+ had an estimated range of 445km based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Now it has a slightly longer range estimate of 468km.
If you’re wondering why the SR+ in China has a higher range compared to the version built at Fremont, it’s because of the differences between the NEDC rating cycle is a little more forgiving than the North American EPA ratings.
With the increased range and lower price, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a big boost in Q4 sales in China. Tesla has been ramping up production at its new Giga Shanghai facility, which is now up to an annualized rate of 200,000 vehicles per year.
