Electric vehicle giant Tesla has finally made it to a Chinese local government’s new energy vehicle (NEV) procurement catalog, hinting that the officials’ prior security concerns about its products are starting to alleviate.
Tesla Model Y makes first appearance in local gov’t NEV procurement list
Tesla’s Giga Shanghai-made Model Y RWD electric crossover successfully made an entry to the Jiangsu provincial government’s NEV catalog, marking the first time for a locally produced Tesla EV.
Notably, the Jiangsu government’s NEV procurement catalog includes a wide range of NEV types: sedans, SUVs, MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles), pickup trucks, and buses. Specifically, it consists of vehicles from local automakers like the Avatr 11, Deepal S7, and the IM Motors LS6.
Qualifications
The Tesla Model Y RWD met the range and price standards. For context, the Jiangsu provincial government requires vehicles to enable a driving range of more than 400 kilometers (248 miles). They must also cost less than RMB 250,000 ($34,382).
The Giga Shanghai-made Tesla Model Y RWD offers a CLTC-rated range of 554 kilometers. As for the price, it starts at RMB 249,990 ($34,268) before options.
Tesla eases China’s prior security concerns
Tes fans and industry observers pointed out that the entry of the Model Y RWD is a significant milestone for the American EV giant, suggesting that the qualification indicates the Chinese government’s appeasing security concerns over Tesla vehicles.
The Chinese government previously cited security risks in the data collection of Tesla electric vehicles. In the prior years, Tesla EV owners have reported that the Chinee government have banned their vehicles from entering government parks and some airports, among other areas, due to security risks.
In an effort to alleviate the Chinese government’s apprehensions, Tesla China built a domestic data center. It also assured the government that all data collected from its Chinese fleet would only be processed in the country.
In separate news, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) declared in late April 2024 that 76 vehicles from six automakers qualified in the country’s stringent compliance requirements for data security. Tesla’s Giga Shanghai-made Model 3 electric sedan and Model Y electric SUV made the list, along with vehicles from BYD, Li Auto, Lotus, Hozon New Energy Automobile, and NIO.
Tesla Model Y RWD’s qualification to Jiangsu provincial government’s NEV catalog will reportedly facilitate the full lifting of restrictions on access and parking of Tesla EVs in key areas mentioned above.
