Tesla has ceased to accept new orders in China for two car models that matter from a factory in the United States, after the Chinese government has imposed steep prices on American imports.
Friday, the Tesla website in China deleted the “order” button on the Model S sedan and the Sport Model X utility vehicle. Customers always have the possibility of buying one of these models, produced in its Fremont factory, California, if the company has an existing inventory.
Tesla did not explain why customers could no longer order these models, but the change one day came after China increased its import prices on American products to correspond to the so-called reciprocal rates of President Trump at the time.
Since then, Mr. Trump has increased tariffs by an additional 41% to punish Beijing for his reprisal move, relating to total imports from imports from China to 145%. On Friday, China also led by raising its 41% prices on American imports, starting on Saturday.
Tesla always sells the S model in a few Chinese cities where she has an inventory. The S model and the X model, two of the most expensive offers in the company, are not large sellers in China.
Tesla did not immediately respond to an email to comment.
Elon Musk, general manager of Tesla and assistant to Mr. Trump, did not openly criticize the president’s pricing campaign, but he made veiled remarks pleading so that all prices are deleted. He also publicly sirned with Peter Navarro, a main advisor to the White House and one of Mr. Trump’s trade policy architects.
Tesla operates a automotive factory and a battery plant in Shanghai. Gigafactory, which opened in 2020, was Tesla’s first car factory outside the United States. In the installation of Shanghai, the company produces average sedan 3 of medium size and a sports utility vehicle model y to sell in China and to export abroad.
Among the foreign car manufacturers, Tesla has one of the most rigid relations with the Chinese government. Shanghai Gigafactory of Tesla was the first automotive factory in China to obtain approval to be fully owned by a foreign company without a national partner. Mr. Musk acquired unusual access to senior Chinese leaders, working closely with Li Qiang, the Chinese Prime Minister who was the highest official in Shanghai.
In March, Tesla sales of its cars made in China dropped 11.5% compared to a year earlier, according to China Passenger because association. Tesla struggled to repel Chinese competitors from the aggressive elimination from her market share in China. The main competitor of the company, Byd, marked a 23% increase in sales during the month.
