Second-hand Teslas catch on among China’s young motorists, as workplace bans force civil servants to sell
- Buyers can save at least US$7,731 on a made-in-Shanghai standard range Model 3 if they buy second-hand
- ‘The pace of growth in demand has surprised many dealers, and it will continue to surge’
Second-hand Teslas have emerged as a much sought after commodity in China, thanks to young drivers hoping to own a premium electric vehicle (EV) at a lower price.
Motorists can save at least 50,000 yuan (US$7,731) on a made-in-Shanghai standard range Model 3 if they choose to buy a pre-owned car.
Second-hand EVs have not always been popular among mainland Chinese consumers, but the increasing use of such cars has encouraged a growing number to seek their next vehicle in the pre-owned market.
Tian said the company handled about three to five transactions involving second-hand Model 3s every month last year. This year, this number had shot up to more than 10 since April. Most of the cars sold were Model 3s assembled in Shanghai, which began production at the end of 2019.