Tesla prepares Model Y Performance comeback to China

Tesla wants to bring back one of its fastest electric cars to the world's biggest automotive market. Government documents show that the American automaker registered a new version of its popular crossover in China. Based on the official technical data, this vehicle marks the return of the high-performance Model Y. It seems Tesla is desperately trying to grab the attention of local buyers who are increasingly choosing domestic electric cars over foreign options.

The new vehicle details surfaced in the latest publication by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The government agency opened a public review period for the vehicle from July 11 to July 17. In the Chinese car market, vehicles that show up in these official filings usually arrive in showrooms and go on sale within a few months.

According to the official filing, the new variant will be built at the Tesla factory in Shanghai. The documents reveal that the upcoming SUV can reach a maximum top speed of 155 mph. This is a much higher figure than the top speed of the other Model Y versions currently available in Chinese showrooms, which max out at 125 mph.

Tesla uses a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain in the new model, with each motor delivering different levels of power to the front and rear wheels. The front motor has a rating of 176 kW, and the rear motor generates 291 kW. These figures are nearly identical to the specifications that Model Y Performance offers in other markets.

A Chinese subsidiary of the South Korean company LG Energy Solution manufactures the cells for the battery system powering the new version. There are no major changes when it comes to the dimensions - the SUV measures exactly 188.8 inches in length, 75.6 inches in width, and 63.4 inches in height. It has a wheelbase of 113.8 inches and has a total curb weight of 4,469 lb.

The sporty nature of this model shines through its aggressive wheel and tire setup. The company gives the crossover large 21-inch wheels with wider tires on the back than on the front. The front tire specifications are 255/35R21, and the rear wheels wear wider 275/35R21 tires.

Chinese customers can choose from four different versions of Model Y at the moment. The entry-level option is the standard rear-wheel-drive model, followed by a Long Range rear-wheel-drive version, and a Long Range all-wheel-drive option. Tesla also sells a six-seat version called the Model Y L. The cheapest rear-wheel-drive model starts from RMB 263,500 ($38,900). The larger six-seat version costs RMB 339,000, and the new high-performance model will cost more than that.

Tesla desperately needs this fresh version because its sales numbers in China face serious pressure. The crossover remains the absolute anchor for the company's local business. In June, the company delivered 38,654 units to Chinese buyers - an incredible 73.04% of all Tesla vehicles sold in the country during that month.

Unfortunately, growth has practically stopped. During the first six months of the year, local deliveries for the crossover reached 172,513 units. That's a tiny increase of just 0.6% compared to the same period from the previous year. The situation looks even worse for the Model 3. Local deliveries for the sedan dropped sharply to 66,442 units during the first half of the year - down 27.72% year-on-year.

When you look at the bigger picture, the American brand is losing its tight grip on the Chinese market. Total vehicle deliveries in the region dropped by 2.05% year-on-year during the second quarter of the year - that's a fifth consecutive quarter where Tesla experienced a decline in China sales. China accounted for only 26.28% of the company's global sales total - the first time that the Chinese market made up less than 30% of global business since late 2020.

A cooling local economy explains part of this slowdown, but intense local competition is the real issue. Chinese companies are launching cheaper, high-tech EVs at a rapid pace. In June, Leapmotor actually beat Tesla by moving 93,376 units. At the top of the market, BYD completely dominated the industry by selling 397,292 passenger new energy vehicles in a single month. Other rising Chinese brands like Nio and XPeng also set new monthly delivery records.

Via