Tesla cuts China car prices to absorb hit from trade war tariffs

Tesla is cutting the price of its Model X and Model S cars in China, the US firm said on Thursday, in a shift in strategy that will see it take more of a hit from tariffs linked to a biting trade war between China and the United States.

The electric carmaker, led by billionaire chief executive Elon Musk, said it will cut prices of the two models by 12-26 per cent to make the cars more "affordable" in the world's top car market, where sales of so-called new-energy vehicles are rising fast.

The move comes amid severe trade tensions between China and the United States, which has seen extra tariffs slapped on US imports into the country, including automobiles, hurting Tesla which imports all the cars it currently sells in the market.

Model X and S

“We are absorbing a significant part of the tariff to help make our cars more affordable for customers in China,” Tesla said.

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The move marks a shift from July when Tesla was one of the first US carmakers to raise prices in the market in response to tariffs. The firm hiked prices then on its Model X and S cars by about 20 per cent.

Tesla warned last month it was facing major problems with selling cars in China due to new tariffs that would force it to accelerate investment in its first overseas Gigafactory in Shanghai.

The carmaker last month secured the site for the facility, which will help it avoid steep import tariffs. – Reuters