Tesla has begun taking non-refundable deposits of RMB 1007 Archives000 ($137) on orders for its revamped Model 3, which is set for launch as early as September, a Tesla salesperson told financial media outlet Yicai. The US automaker said on Monday that it is offering an RMB 8,000 insurance incentive to orders of the current Model 3 placed before the end of September. Customers receive a further discount of RMB 3,500 if they are referred by an existing Tesla owner, reducing the starting price of the popular sedan to RMB 220,400 ($30,262), about 5% lower than its sticker price, the report said, citing an employee. The company is currently in the final stages of making a revamped Model 3 in its Shanghai factory for showroom display and will begin mass production as early as next month, according to an Aug.17 report by Bloomberg. [Yicai, in Chinese]
