A new electric car from a Chinese company is roughly half the price of a Tesla Model 3 while looking virtually identical. Originally priced at $35,000, Tesla’s Model 3 has seen repeated price increases over the years, bringing its current price to well over $50,000. One of Tesla’s best-selling models, in no little part due to its more affordable pricing. In fact, demand for the Model 3 Long Range became so high that Tesla had to stop accepting reservations for the vehicle last month.
By selling over 936,000 units in 2018 and over 250,000 in Q2 of 2022, Tesla has established itself as one of the largest EV manufacturers in the world. Growing demand for Tesla automobiles is not confined to the North American continent. A testimony to the worldwide success of Tesla automobiles, Elon Musk said earlier this year that manufacturing of the right-hand-drive Model Y will be increased to fulfill demand in Australia, Japan, and other RHD markets.
Electrek reports that Changan Automobile, a state-owned Chinese carmaker, has released a new electric vehicle that looks very similar to the Tesla Model 3. The Shenlan SL03, like the Model 3, is a small sedan with comparable measurements and styling inside and out. The only major difference between it and the Model 3 is its cost. Reportedly priced at only 183,900 yuan (about $26,000), the Shenlan SL03 is a lot less expensive than the Model 3, which begins at $279,900 (approximately $40,000) in China.
The Cheap Alternative to the Tesla Model 3
It is said in the article that the SL03 is nearly four inches longer than the Model 3, yet it has the same width, height, and wheelbase as the Model 3. Like the Model 3, it features a simple interior with a horizontal display taking up most of the dashboard. In addition, the car’s software apparently has a user interface that is very similar to that of Tesla’s. The Shenlan SL03 can go either 515 kilometers (320 miles) on its smallest battery or 705 kilometers (438 miles) on its largest.
The story goes on to assert that the SL03 is not a low-quality copycat from a dubious manufacturer, but rather, it was built in collaboration with telecom giant Huawei and a key Tesla supplier named CATL. Within only a few hours of its release, the Shenlan SL03 had already garnered as many as 15,000 reservations, indicating strong demand among Chinese consumers. The business is aiming to ship the Tesla Model 3 knockoff to customers before the end of the year.
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