Tesla hardly struggles to sell its cars, but the EV maker is always on the lookout for how to increase its number of customers. According to sources contacted by Shanghai Securities News, it has started an ICE trade-in program for people who want to switch to EVs in China.
Tesla manufactures the Model 3 and Model Y locally in China, and it will now allow gas-powered car owners to trade in their vehicles to purchase an EV. The program comes with some “perks” for the buyers.
The benefits of the trade include a free 90-day trial of Enhanced Autopilot, price protection for 14 days, etc. The car owner would also get a free evaluation of the ICE car at home, according to Pandaily.
To benefit from the trade-in, customers must place their orders between July 1st and December 31st, 2022. The buyer must also complete the trade-in agreement before their car is delivered.
However, a possible effect of this new program is that it will make the delivery-waiting times for Tesla cars even longer. Currently, buyers in China have to wait 16-20 weeks to get the base trim of Model 3, while the Performance model takes up to 16 weeks. The more expensive base Model Y takes an estimated 14 weeks, while AWD Long Range Model Y buyers will wait for up to 24 weeks.
Tesla sold 32,165 cars in July, with 22,340 of the number exported.
EVs are getting popular in China thanks to the government’s aggressive promotion of zero-emission cars with subsidies and policies. For instance, EV buyers in Beijing can get a subsidy of up to 10,000 yuan (US$1,495).
