Tesla's latest Model 3 officially on sale in China

Tesla announced it has officially started the sales of the updated Model 3 in China, retaining the pre-sale prices from last month. For those out of the loop - RMB 259,900 ($35,500) for the rear-wheel-drive version and RMB 295,900 ($40,500) for its dual-motor all-wheel-drive Long Range counterpart. The price tags are a notch higher than the sedan's earlier basic version.

Now, if you're one of those keen beans ready to park this shiny new toy in your driveway, expect 6-9 weeks of waiting. Certainly not too bad, considering it's very early days.

The new Model 3 entry version promises a CLTC range of 377 miles. That's an extra 31 miles, or a 9% boost, from the former model's 345 miles. For the speed and distance enthusiasts, the long-range version of this Model 3 stretches its legs to 443 miles, showing still a decent improvement from the previous Model 3 LR's 419 miles.

The refreshed Model 3s are powered by 60 kWh and 78.4 kWh batteries, with pack weights standing at 1,058 lb and 1,003 lb, respectively. Interestingly, the larger battery pack is lighter according to the info released by the Chinese MIIT pointing to a different chemistry. On top of that the new Model 3 has earned itself a spot in the latest batch of models that China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) deems exempt from the vehicle purchase tax.

Alongside the new Model 3, Tesla introduced the updated Model Y in China at the beginning of this month and has already initiated its deliveries as of mid-October.

Via