Photo: original photo by autoevolution
Believe it or not, the Chinese government will offer every Tesla Model S buyer from Shanghai a free license plate, which is worth a whopping $15,000 at current exchange rates.
In order to combat its notoriously bad traffic jams and heavy pollution, the city of Shanghai decided back in 2013 to limit the number of new vehicles sold through a license plate auction system.
Cue your favorite communist joke here, cause that's not really the actual problem with the Chinese metropolis. In fact, the widespread burning of coal is the main source of smoggy skies and toxic air pollutants in the Asian country.
Even though electric cars are exempt from government-organized license plate auctions, the aforementioned incentive only covers Chinese-made electric vehicles. The Palo Alto-based manufacturer doesn't have any assembly plants in this part of the world, but the saving solution comes once again from the city council of Shanghai.
As it happens, an all-new special exemption will grant 3,000 free license plates for foreign made electric vehicles. Specifically, each automaker that promises to the Chinese government to import 3,000 of its electric models. Needless to say, that adds to a grand total of 3,000 units of the company's Model S luxury electric saloon.
In its most recent shareholder's letter, Tesla sort of hinted this was going to happen: "Model S drivers in the city will be entitled to free license plates, thereby avoiding the usual public auction price of $10,000 to $15,000 per plate."
Currently, it's still a mystery what will happen to Tesla after this special exemption will meet its target.
Cue your favorite communist joke here, cause that's not really the actual problem with the Chinese metropolis. In fact, the widespread burning of coal is the main source of smoggy skies and toxic air pollutants in the Asian country.
Even though electric cars are exempt from government-organized license plate auctions, the aforementioned incentive only covers Chinese-made electric vehicles. The Palo Alto-based manufacturer doesn't have any assembly plants in this part of the world, but the saving solution comes once again from the city council of Shanghai.
As it happens, an all-new special exemption will grant 3,000 free license plates for foreign made electric vehicles. Specifically, each automaker that promises to the Chinese government to import 3,000 of its electric models. Needless to say, that adds to a grand total of 3,000 units of the company's Model S luxury electric saloon.
In its most recent shareholder's letter, Tesla sort of hinted this was going to happen: "Model S drivers in the city will be entitled to free license plates, thereby avoiding the usual public auction price of $10,000 to $15,000 per plate."
Currently, it's still a mystery what will happen to Tesla after this special exemption will meet its target.
Google News