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Channel: Model 3 – TESLARATI

Tesla seat sensors could be used to improve smartphone Bluetooth handoff

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The transition from a cell phone to Tesla’s Bluetooth system may become smoother with the help of the company’s built-in seat occupancy sensors. The idea was a suggestion from Tesla owner Rob Hoehn.

Hoehn wrote: “When a Tesla is unlocked and you’re in the middle of a call, it’s pretty eager to switch the audio from the phone over to the car. This can be frustrating when you’re in the middle of a call and you are not even inside the car yet. Or when you’re near the car and someone else gets in the car a similar thing happens. Suggestion: use the seat occupancy sensor to check if the driver is in their seat. Once the seat is occupied, then switch the Bluetooth audio over to the car.”

The idea was met with lots of support on r/TeslaMotors and was the most upvoted Tesla idea in the thread. Hoehn then decided to share his idea with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who was enthusiastic about the idea. “We should have done this ages ago,” Musk wrote in a reply tweet to Hoehn.

Other Tesla owners threw out additional improvements on the heels of Musk’s response. One owner stated the transition from music streaming apps to a telephone call was rough and caused intermittent moments of silence as the car transitioned to Bluetooth over the vehicle’s speakers.

Transitioning from literally speaking on a phone to a car’s speaker system seems to be an issue in most cars. In traditional combustion engine cars, the phone will switch over to the car speakers when the engine is turned on making the transition smoother. There is no key to turn or button to push in a Tesla to activate its motor, however. When an owner is in the Bluetooth range of their vehicle, the phone may automatically connect to the vehicle’s speaker system even if the driver is not in the vehicle itself.

The utilization of a Bluetooth system that would rely on seat sensors could be the solution to this issue. The Bluetooth system would not activate unless the driver’s seat was occupied by a human being and would not connect to the car’s speaker system if the owner is simply near the vehicle.

Tesla has utilized its seat sensors for other solutions in the past. The company submitted a patent in January 2019 that would use the sensors to determine what airbags would be most beneficial for a particular passenger’s size and frame in the event of an accident. The sensors are a versatile piece of equipment and they give Tesla free reign to improve its vehicles. While they have been used for safety improvements in the past, this accessibility feature will give Tesla owners additional ease of access when using the Bluetooth feature to have a phone call.

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Tesla owner takes Model 3 on the ultimate 115,000-mile road trip across US

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One Tesla Model 3 owner recently hit a milestone after taking his Long Range rear-wheel drive electric sedan on an epic six-month-long, 115,000 road trip throughout the United States.

Los Angeles-based Tesla owner Arthur Driessen documented his journey across the U.S. in his blog Maiden Voyage: A Voyage Without Carbon and recently shared his thoughts after covering a distance that could be the farthest one done in a Model 3.

Driessen has used and practically abused the electric vehicle on almost all kinds of terrains through different seasons. According to Driessen, he drove the vehicle through sand, snow, streams, creeks and all and the car has got him through challenging terrain and weather every single time.

“I’ve seen tons of different types of terrain. You go off into the mountains. You go to Native American reservations and you’re gonna see roads that really are supposed to have 4×4 vehicles,” he said.

Through his adventure riding the Model 3 he actually only had two control arms and a door hinge replaced but they were practically self-inflicted damage. He also changed tires when his set of OEM shoes went bald after 10,000 miles and every 20K to 25K miles after that but he confessed that it was expected as he drove heavy and drove off-road.

“I think that’s pretty amazing. Over 115,000 miles, you know no oil changes, no nothing,” he exclaimed.

Probably most people would ask how much Driessen spent to operate the Model 3 during the road trip and how the electric car’s battery might have degraded.

“The savings have been just phenomenal and then you can factor in, you know, gas savings comparatively… with supercharging. I average everything out at about six cents per mile which means $6,000 over a hundred thousand miles and you can take that number and you can apply it to whatever car you would be driving,” he said. The Model 3 owner estimated that he saved around $10,000 on gas, comparing the cost if he drove his Civic.

With regard to battery range and degradation, the EV adventurer said he did not lose much battery at all. He also praised the charging infrastructure of Tesla throughout the country as he only struggled when he was near the Texas border and up along the Canadian border.

“The last time I charged 100 percent, which was a couple of weeks ago, I still had 308 miles.. and I think that’s pretty good,” he revealed. For context, Driessen’s Model 3 had an original rate range of 310 miles.

In terms of Model 3 storage, this snapshot from his vlog when he emptied out the car’s passenger cabin, trunk, and frunk sum up how much you can carry on Tesla’s mass-produced electric sedan.

Tesla Model 3 storage (Source: Arthur Driessen | YouTube)

Driessen also brought up issues he encountered with the vehicle such as the Autopilot choosing the slower left lane during some points of his trip, forcing other vehicles to pass through his right. He also shared the problems he had with Smart Summon, seeing the feature as a rushed piece of software after encountering issues with it at some parking lots. The Model 3 owner also raised an issue about the car’s navigation not working when one’s not online. Nevertheless, the Model 3 owner acknowledges the capability of Tesla in pushing software updates to improve the ride to address such issues.

Driessen’s adventure across the United States on his Tesla Model 3 is not just a testimony, but his experience is concrete proof that the popular electric sedan can deliver beyond its perceived limits.

Check out the video footage of Maiden Voyage: A Voyage Without Carbon below:

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Tesla’s China-made Model 3 will be a cash cow for the automaker as margins set to improve even more

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A new report by equity research firm suggests that Tesla’s gross margin for Made-in-China (MIC) Model 3 could increase to 40 percent or even higher, and with higher profit margins, the electric car manufacturer can create the conditions that will further help stimulate sales in the country.

The report published by China-based equity firm Chuancai Securities and shared with Teslarati by Tesla Model S/X owner and Twitter user Ray4Tesla, says that parts domestication will be key to achieve higher profit margins with the MIC Model 3.

“We assume that depending on the progress of Tesla’s parts domestication, the cost of raw materials will fall by 10%-20%. In this case, gross profit margin of Model 3 produced by the Chinese factory will reach more than 35%, which is much higher than the American factory by about 20% gross profit level,” the report reads.  In October 2018, Tesla said that its Model 3 gross margins were more than 20 percent but this was adjusted when it decided to drop the price of the electric sedan to make it accessible to more US buyers.

The report also estimates that after the localization of parts, Tesla’s expenses for raw materials for the China-made Model 3 will drop by 10 to 20 percent. It also takes note of cheaper manufacturing costs and labor costs. Taking into account all of these factors, the researchers concluded that the total production cost may fall by 20-28 percent and thereby further improving profit margin.

This new report from China practically says that the MIC Model 3 has the potential to be its cash cow — read: high volume sales and higher profit margins. This is aside from the fact that Tesla CEO Elon Musk has also formally launched the Model Y program in the country during the event for the first public deliveries of the company’s mass-produced electric sedans. According to the report, buyers of the affordable SUV in the country might still enjoy preferential purchase tax, from which its smaller sibling was also exempted from.

Tesla has the potential to claim China, the biggest automotive market in the world, to be its strong foothold. If that happens, it can boost the possibility of sustained profitability for the brand that Musk wants to achieve.

With Musk planning to create an engineering and design center in China, it will not be a surprise if the Gigafactory 3 will play a key role in conquering potential markets in Asia and in pushing for the growth of the brand int its existing markets in the region.

The analysis of the researchers is consistent with earlier rumors that Tesla can further lower the price of the Model 3 once it sources parts, including expensive parts such as its battery, from local suppliers. For now,  Tesla has lowered the price of the Model 3 in China to around $42,919 from the original price tag $50,000 as the new year kicked off, a move that practically undercut other brands such as BMW and Mercedes that offer vehicles in the same segment and the electric car manufacturer surely sparked more interest as showrooms in the country were filled with potential buyers.

At present, Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai already has a run rate of 3,000 units per week and plans to hit that production goal as more workers are added to the frontline.

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Tesla Model 3 goes up against Audi, Jaguar and top EVs in test to 0% battery state of charge

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A Tesla Model 3 was put up against a lineup of the world’s most popular electric vehicles in a test to see what car’s battery could outlast the rest. The assessment performed by popular British YouTube channel Carwow tested six fully-charged electric cars by driving them until they died.

Carwow chose the Model 3 Long Range AWD, Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, Nissan Leaf, Kia e-Niro and Mercedes EQC for the experiment. Each vehicle was driven along a highway in the United Kingdom to determine what electric car had the best range and battery performance.

The test was performed by utilizing a system that included driving at the same speed on the same stretch of road at the same time. Each vehicle was put into its most energy-efficient setting and was operating with its air conditioning at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The consistency showed there was no bias in the actual execution of the assessment, making it completely fair for all vehicles that were chosen to partake in the test.

Each vehicle was charged the night before the test. At the time the testing began, each vehicle held at least a 95% charge. While other variables like external temperature may have affected the performance of each vehicle, it was still an even playing field. By the end, Carwow would be able to tell electric car enthusiasts what vehicle was best suited for long-range driving.

By the conclusion of the test, a clear winner had emerged. It was the Tesla Model 3.

The Model 3 lasted a total of 270 miles, outlasting its closest competitor in the Kia e-Niro that ran out of battery at 255 miles. While the 75 kWh battery of the Model 3 Long Range AWD was the longest-lasting in the test, we must ask ourselves if it is really a surprise.

The other vehicle’s performance is as follows:

  • Mercedes EQC – 194 miles
  • Audi e-Tron – 206 miles
  • Nissan Leaf – 208 miles
  • Jaguar I-Pace – 223 miles

Tesla’s battery technology has been the benchmark of the electric vehicle industry. Tesla has emerged with range and performance that puts it head and shoulders above the rest of the sector.

Among recent developments and improvements in the company’s battery technology, Tesla recently filed a patent for an electrolyte solution that could bring Elon Musk’s vision of a million-mile battery to light. Tesla’s emergence as a leader in lithium-ion battery technology comes after the company sought out the help of Jeff Dahn of Dalhousie University. Dahn and a team of researchers at the Canadian University state that Tesla batteries should be able to last one million miles if utilized in grid energy storage.

The test performed by Carwow is just another indicator of Tesla’s world-class battery performance. Tesla’s acquisition of battery companies Maxwell Technologies and Hibar Systems last year further solidified the company’s thirst for increased battery performance. As the Model 3 was the longest-lasting vehicle in this test, it is another feather in the cap of Tesla.

Watch Carwow’s test of electric vehicle battery range below:

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Tesla Model 3 joins fleet for E-Mobility car subscription platform

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Munich, Germany-based electric-mobility startup Cluno adds a Tesla Model 3 to its fleet of vehicles available for all-inclusive car subscriptions. Customers can easily book their Tesla Model 3 on a month-t0-month basis via the company’s website or through Cluno’s mobile app.

Cluno customers can avail of the Tesla Model 3 subscription package for 1,299 euros and start driving their Tesla Model 3 in March. The offer comes with 1,250 kilometers per month, insurance, and maintenance service as needed. The digital car subscription allows customers to drive electric vehicles and other cars for six months or longer periods without the risk of investing in the car.

“We foresee high demand for flexible, easy and at the same time climate-friendly mobility solutions. The Cluno car subscription combines the two in a forward-looking concept for individual mobility. According to Frost & Sullivan, the market potential for car subscriptions in the USA and Europe up to 2025 is over 16 million vehicles,” said Cluno co-founder and CEO Nico Polleti.

“We expect that a large proportion of them will be either electric or hybrid cars. Car subscription is a risk-free option for our customers to use a technology today that will make huge advances in the coming years,” Polleti added.

Cluno has a number of electric vehicles in its fleet including Tesla Model 3, Renault ZOE 50, MINI Cooper SE, BMW i3, Nissan Leaf, and Opel Corsa-e. They also have plug-in hybrids and hybrid vehicles available for digital car subscriptions.

The inclusion of Tesla Model 3, which recently took top honors in Euro NCAPS Best In Class Cars of 2019 list, in its fleet of vehicles for subscription is a win-win for both the German e-mobility company and the Silicon Valley-based electric carmaker. E-mobility as a subscription does not only provide flexible options for consumers but also make new energy vehicles more attractive for those who want to try out EVs without having to purchase or lease a Tesla. According to a study cited by Cluno, one in three Germans are willing to use an EV to help solve climate issues and that by 2030, about 51 percent of vehicles in Europe, in ideal conditions, will be electric vehicles.

Car subscription programs are also the future of mobility with research firm Frost & Sullivan predicting that 6 million vehicles will be part of vehicle subscription services by 2025-2026. The same study foresees participants in the car subscription business to rake in about $100 billion per year. These findings are also consistent with the preference of millennials who value transportation but do not see vehicle ownership as the preferred path.

With robotaxis on Tesla’s crosshair, a vehicle subscription offering might fit the business model. With Autopilot and Full Self-Driving technology perfected in the near future, a consumer can simply “call” their Tesla vehicle to pick them up and bring them to their chosen destination. It can be a pay-per-use model and offers the flexibility of driving a Model X, for example, for a certain period then switching to a Tesla Cybertruck, a Model 3, or a Model Y depending on the needs of the subscriber.

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Tesla owners' winter driving insights proves EVs' are great cars for sub-zero conditions

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Thanks to outdated assumptions and what appears to be an ongoing misinformation campaign against electric cars, some mainstream car buyers may assume that vehicles like the Tesla Model 3 would be grossly ineffective in sub-zero temperatures. Yet despite this persistent stereotype, actual experiences from electric car owners have recently proven these notions wrong once again.  

Tesla owner and president-founder of the Saskatchewan Electric Vehicle Association Matthew Pointer recently shared some of his winter driving experiences with CBC News. A resident of Saskatchewan, Canada, Pointer is no stranger to cold weather driving. His home, after all, experiences sub-zero temperatures on a regular basis, at times requiring him to drive in -45 C (-49 F) weather. If the stereotype holds true, then Pointer’s Tesla should be near-useless in certain parts of the year. But this has not been the case. 

On the contrary, Pointer stated that his Tesla actually works better than his previous internal combustion cars in the cold. While he stated that his electric vehicle does experience some range loss during winters, the car works perfectly in extreme weather. Just this Thursday, for example, Pointer noted that he passed by several dozen ICE owners struggling to start their vehicles on his way to work. His Tesla, in comparison, handled the cold without any issues, even with its reduced range. 

Tesla’s Winter Experience 2019. | Credit: Danni Efraim

“I passed several dozen people that couldn’t even get their car started in front of their house this morning, as I kind of ripped by them in my electric vehicle that apparently doesn’t work in those sort of temperatures. I wake up with a ‘full tank’ every morning because I plug in at night, and I wake up, and my car’s fully charged in the morning. I’ve got more than enough range to do all the regular stuff that I need to do on a daily basis,” Pointer said. 

Explaining further, the Tesla owner stated that it’s just a matter of design between EVs and internal combustion cars. Electric cars have far fewer components compared to gasoline or diesel-powered automobiles. Thus, there are far fewer things that can get compromised by the cold. Couple this with Tesla’s excellent battery management system, and the company’s vehicles become incredibly effective for winter. 

“The great thing about an electric vehicle is that it has significantly less moving parts, and you’re essentially driving one massive battery that’s very good at maintaining its heat and keeping itself going. There’s no moving parts that need to go through this magical movement and means of combustion and getting things preheated all at a minus-45-degree temperature. Essentially for us to start our cars, we just touch a button, the screen pops up, and we just drive to work from there,” he explained. 

The Tesla Model 3 Performance gets tested in a rally course. (Photo: Team O’Neil Rally School/Facebook)

In a statement to the publication, Tyler Krause, a fellow resident of Saskatchewan and a Tesla Model 3 owner, described how easy it is to live with an electric car during the coldest months of the year. “Yesterday it was -37 C (-34.6 F), and it wasn’t a problem. I went to heat it up. It took like 10 minutes and I was off. I drove by probably three or four people that were getting boosted on the side of the road and I had no issues,” he said, adding that none of the local Tesla Owners Club members have reported any issues during winter.

Perhaps one thing that usually gets forgotten by electric vehicle critics is the fact that all cars, even those powered with the internal combustion engine, lose range during the coldest months of the year. With this in mind, it all comes down to convenience, and based on the accounts of actual Tesla owners from one of the colder places in North America; EVs have ICE beat by a wide margin. The proof lies in actual experiences from Tesla owners, as well as the company’s sales figures from cold countries such as Norway and the Netherlands, where the Model 3 has been making its presence known.

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Tesla Model 3's 2019 China registrations show 161% increase year-over-year

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Tesla posted 6,643 new vehicle registrations in China last December, helping push the company’s 2019 total to 42,715. This corresponds to a 161% increase compared to 2018, when the Palo Alto, California-based car manufacturer hit the 16,360 mark in China.

According to the data from China Automotive Information data reported by Bloomberg, the new vehicle registrations in December includes 30 Made-in-China Model 3s, as well as a slight increase from November’s 5,597 vehicles. The state-backed agency based its data on purchases of car insurance.

Seeing the rise in new Tesla vehicle registrations in the biggest automotive market in the world is quite an achievement for Elon Musk’s car brand as China has been experiencing a car market slump in the past two years.

Research firm Piper Sandler recognized the big upside of Tesla in China and it declared recently that the market has been underestimating the potential growth of Tesla in the country.

“If Tesla’s Model 3 market share in the United States can be replicated in China – and if this logic extends also to Model Y – then Tesla’s annual volume in China alone would eventually exceed 650k units,” director and senior analyst Alexander Potter said.

Tesla delivered the first batch of its MIC Model 3 units to its employees in December and made the first public deliveries on Jan. 7, exactly a year after its Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai broke ground. The company has also formally launched its Model Y program in the country.

Likewise, Musk announced during the recent Gigafactory 3 event that Tesla will create a design and R&D center in China where Chinese-style Teslas will be created. The vehicles from the said center will not only be distributed locally but to the rest of the world as well.

Tesla also slashed the price of the MIC Model 3 that resulted in a surge in demand. China-based Chuancai Securities sees the huge potential of the Model 3 as a cash cow for Tesla as it estimates the gross margin of the company for the mass-produced electric sedan to increase to as high as 40%. According to the equity firm, it can achieve this once Tesla improves localization of its parts that will push down the expenses of raw materials to about 10 to 20%.

The Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai has hit a run-rate of 3,000 vehicles per week and will try to hit that goal as it adds more workers to the production line.

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Tesla owner braves fast food Drive-thru in Smart Summon test

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Tesla’s Smart Summon feature has conquered thunderstorms to pick up a family, snow-covered roads, and crowded parking lots successfully. But this time around, the popular Full Self-Driving feature may be facing its toughest test yet — a fast-food drive-thru.

Mark Bianco of the BackseatBaller YouTube channel tested his Model 3’s ability to navigate through his local A&W’s drive-thru lane. Bianco chose a less crowded restaurant to test the feature to increase the safety of those around him. After all, he did not know how Smart Summon would operate in a tight setting like a drive-thru lane.

Interestingly enough, the satellite map in the Tesla app where Bianco attempted to operate the feature was not updated and showed an empty field where the restaurant was located. This contrasts with the Model 3’s display, which clearly showed the A&W outlet.

Bianco kept his reputation as the “Backseat Baller” intact as he operated the vehicle from the rear seat. The car slowly approached the speaker of the drive-thru, where Bianco ordered a meal successfully and managed to navigate the vehicle toward the second window where the food was set to be picked up.

The vehicle was a far distance away from the window and it actually required Bianco to get out of the vehicle and pick the food up from the window himself. This was a result of the vehicle’s forward cameras, radar, and range proximity sensors recognizing a curb shortly ahead of the pick-up window. The car was prepared for this turn and as a result, it distanced itself a bit too far from the window.

Even with the distance from the window, Smart Summon’s performance in this test was quite successful. It managed to navigate through the thin and narrow drive-thru lane, stop at each window with ease, and allowed Bianco to retrieve his food safely. While Summon is really aimed at bringing a car to an owner when they are leaving a store or shop, this unorthodox use allows people to see what the feature is really capable of.

Smart Summon was released in the United States in September with the Version 10 update. Since its initial rollout to EAP members, the feature has received both compliments and criticisms from large publications, but real-world users seem to enjoy the benefits of the feature. Tesla rolled out the feature in Canada shortly after its U.S. release, and in China just before Christmas 2019.

You can watch Mark Bianco’s video of his Model 3 navigating an A&W drive-thru below.

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Tesla Model 3 faces Porsche 911 Carrera S in a gauntlet of intense races and tests

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Teslas have been matched up with their high-performance gas-powered counterparts for a long time. In the latest test, the Model 3 Performance was pegged against the Porsche 911 Carrera S in three different quarter-mile drag races, a pair of “rolling start” races, and a brake test.

Comparing the two as far as specifications show, they should be pretty evenly matched on paper. The Model 3 Dual-Motor All-Wheel Drive Performance sports two electric motors and a 3.2 second 0-60 MPH time. The Rear-Wheel Drive 911 Carrera S, on the other hand, packs a 450hp, 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine with a 0-60 MPH time of 3.5 seconds.

The test was performed by automotive YouTube channel carwow. It began with the three separate quarter-mile drag races, where the Model 3 won the first by completing the race in 11.8 seconds. The 911 Carerra S took 12.1 seconds to complete the race, narrowly losing to its electric counterpart.

However, the following two races would be won by the Porsche that completed the quarter-mile in 11.5 and 11.7 seconds. The Model 3 hit the 11.8-second mark in all three races, showing consistency in its performance.

The next two races required both vehicles to be rolling at 50 MPH and the first to reach 110 MPH would be considered the victor. The Model 3 Performance managed to win both of these races due to its exceptional acceleration rate. The Porsche was only able to surpass the Tesla when the vehicles were reaching speeds that were exceeding 125 MPH because the 911 Carrera S simply holds a higher top speed of 200 MPH. The Model 3 tops out at 162 MPH.

Finally, the two vehicles competed in a brake test to determine the car that could stop the quickest when traveling fast. The two drivers agreed to drive at 70 MPH and when each car crossed the finish line, the drivers would show the vehicles down until they reached a complete stop.

The results of this test were the toughest to judge as both cars stopped at almost identical distances. This indicates the Model 3’s braking system performs as well as a flagship high-performance vehicle. Interestingly enough, the Model 3’s braking performance was criticized by Consumer Reports in 2018. Tesla has evidently improved in the past two years as the car stopped in a safe and controlled fashion.

The six tests showed the two vehicles were pretty similar in performance measurements. With the braking assessment being a tie, the Tesla won 3-2 in the six tests and proved to be the superior vehicle. The Tesla Model 3 Performance is also half of the cost, only setting customers back $56,990, while the Coupe variant of the 911 Carrera S runs for $113,300.

The Model 3 has regularly outperformed some of the most notable performance cars in the world, including the Lamborghini Huracan and the Ferrari F12. The winning track record of the Model 3 shows great performance does not have to cost six-figures, nor does it have to come from an internal combustion engine.

You can watch carwow‘s tests between the Model 3 Performance and 911 Carrera S below.

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Tesla China is subtly flexing the MIC Model 3's stellar build quality

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High-quality images of a recently-delivered Made-in-China Model 3 sedan have proven that potentially lower labor costs do not result in inferior products.

The latest photos of the MIC Model 3 shared by Tesla Model S and X owner and Twitter user Ray4Tesla featured immaculately-finished and perfectly-aligned panels and trims of a blue all-electric sedan.

If Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai will consistently produce top-quality vehicles, the mass-produced Model 3 sedan may indeed become a cash cow for the electric car maker in the biggest automotive market in the world.

MIC Model 3 panels and trim (Source: Ray4Tesla | Twitter)

The high-quality production of vehicles in China may also help improve the process of Tesla in its other factories as needed. Tesla has been known to listen to its customers and for its willingness to improve processes based on its experiences in past projects, just like how it solved production and logistics issues when it started making the Model 3.

Quality vehicles at this early stage of production at Gigafactory 3 ultimately proved that Tesla’s move to launch Model Y program in the country was indeed the next big step in the company’s plans to establish its presence in China.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk also announced during a recent Gigafactory 3 event that the company will launch a design and R&D center in the country that will design Chinese-style Teslas and other vehicles that can then be released to other markets.

Chinese equity firm Chuancai Securities recently published a study that stated that Tesla can further improve the profit margin for the locally-produced Model 3 when it increases the domestication of its components. At present, the firm estimated the gross margin of Tesla for the mass-produced sedan at 35% in China.

“We assume that depending on the progress of Tesla’s parts domestication, the cost of raw materials will fall by 10%-20%. In this case, gross profit margin of Model 3 produced by the Chinese factory will reach more than 35%, which is much higher than the American factory by about 20% gross profit level,” the report stated.

Last December, Tesla posted 6,643 new vehicle registrations in China compared to November’s 5,597 units and posted a 161% increase year-over-year despite car sales slump in the country.

With car buyers knowing that they can trust the quality of the vehicles made from China’s shores, it will not be surprising to see Tesla sell even more vehicles in the country in the near future. If Elon Musk sees China as the gateway for the brand to dominate the rest of the region, the high-quality images of the recently delivered unit can be considered a very good sign that Tesla is ready to chomp a bigger chunk of the sales pie.

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