China getting Tesla Model 3 deliveries

Tesla Model 3 Performance models are being delivered to Chinese buyers ahead of schedule.

Thousands of customers there have signed up for pre-orders, even though China’s economic growth and automotive sales are slowing.

While Tesla in the US is sending EVs to China, it is also building an EV “Gigafactory 3” in Shanghai where production is scheduled to start later this year.

A 15% tariff applies to vehicles imported into China from the US, although discussions to decide a new trade deal continue between the two nations.

The Trump administration imposed tariffs on a variety of Chinese products and China retaliated, with some tariff increases of up to 40% expected from April.

Luxury vehicles are popular in China, so premium EVs are expected to be snapped up.

Tesla recently had a set-back on its quality reputation when Consumer Reports withdrew its “recommended” rating for the Model 3 after completing a recent survey of almost a half-million car owners. It found Tesla 3 owners had excessive complaints about body-work, service and response from Tesla, and problems with the vehicle’s dash-mounted screen that controls much of the car’s features, Forbes reports.

Tesla says it has made “significant improvements” to fix the problems.

It adds “the vast majority of these issues have already been corrected through design and manufacturing improvements, and we are seeing a significant improvement in our field data”.

Right-hand drive markets, like the United Kingdom and Australia/New Zealand, can expect the Model 3 around “mid-2019,” Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk says.

Model 3 displays are in selected UK stores, and the cars were shown in New Zealand and Australia from mid-August 2018.