The Tesla Model 3 should see its customs fees increase at the beginning of July. Tesla announces a price increase, but we have doubts.
The European Commission has decided to impose customs duties of up to nearly 50% on electric vehicles produced in China, in order to sanction the supposed subsidies paid by Beijing to its manufacturers to help them compete, or crush them depending on the points of view, European competition. Brussels therefore informed car manufacturers on Wednesday that it would provisionally apply additional duties of between 17 and 38% on electric vehicles imported from China from next month. These additional taxes will be on top of the existing 10% customs duty on all vehicles. The amount of additional duties depends on the good cooperation of manufacturers in the framework of the investigation launched several months ago. We know, for example, that the good student BYD takes 17% while the dunce MG takes 38.1%!
The Chinese response will be decisive
For Tesla nothing has been decided because the manufacturer, although it produces its Model 3 in China, remains very American. We assume that he will inherit an average additional tax of around 21%, but what if he does not receive Chinese subsidies? Manufacturers have until July 4 to plead their case and there is no guarantee that these customs fees will be properly applied because Beijing’s counterattack risks being bloody and not limited to simple automobiles.
But at Tesla, when in doubt we still invite you to hurry up and buy your Model 3 before the end of the month, you never know… and that empties stocks! Knowing that this increase should only impact the price of the American-Chinese car by 2,000 to 3,000 euros, we can imagine a commercial gesture from Tesla to maintain prices. The brand already offers Supercharger km for almost 1,000 euros, so it must have some discounts up its sleeve.
So a small price increase is possible, an explosion in prices, we’ll see.
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