Priced at $180,000! budget tesla model 3 is coming soon, how much plastic was used in the material reduction?

According to reports from CP Perspective, a "budget-friendly" Tesla Model 3 has officially launched in South Korea, as indicated on Tesla's official website. The new car has a guide price of 41.99 million Korean won, which translates to approximately 200,000 RMB. Its pure electric range, according to Korean standards, reaches 382km, and its 0-100km/h acceleration time is 6.2 seconds. It is also expected to be launched in China soon, with a potential domestic price of around 180,000 RMB.

For a more direct comparison, let's look at the Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive version. In South Korea, this version is priced at 52.99 million KRW, approximately 255,000 RMB, with an electric range of 538 km according to Korean standards and a 0-100 km/h acceleration of 5.2 seconds. In contrast, the same version in China is priced at 235,500 RMB, offering a CLTC range of 634 km and a 0-100 km/h acceleration of 6.1 seconds.

Based on these data projections, the "budget" version of the Model 3 is expected to have a CLTC range of approximately 450km and is anticipated to be priced at around 180,000 RMB.

Image source: Tesla official website

Interior materials extensively use plastic materials

The seat upholstery has changed; the standard version uses synthetic leather, while the "budget version" has been switched to all-fabric upholstery. There are also adjustments to the trim on the door panels and center console. The original wood grain or metal trim has been removed, replaced by injection-molded hard plastic.

Regarding the plastic components, there have been quite a few additions. The air conditioning vents, which originally had electric adjustment mechanisms, have been changed to fully manual plastic knobs. The steering wheel adjustment mechanism has been converted from electric to purely mechanical, with the relevant support made of reinforced nylon material. The door storage compartments have also been simplified, with the omission of flocking and lighting, and the inner walls directly exposing PP polypropylene plastic.

Exterior and functional parts downgrading

There are also some downgrades in exterior and functional components: Regarding the glass roof, although the panoramic sunroof glass is retained, the sound insulation has been reduced. The standard version uses 5mm soundproof glass, while the "budget version" uses cheap sound insulation cotton internally as a replacement.

The lighting system also sees changes, with the matrix module removed from the headlights, and the reflector material changed from metal to engineering plastic, resulting in a 12% decrease in light transmittance.

Quantitative Analysis of Core Cost Reduction Areas

Let's take a look at a table showing the material changes and cost reductions of some core components in the standard version versus the "budget version".

Through these measures, the utilization rate of plastic in the "budget-friendly" Model 3 interior has increased from 35% in the standard version to 68%. Furthermore, rear-seat screens and ambient lighting, among other electronic features, have been removed. As a result, the overall vehicle material cost has been reduced by approximately 24%.

Tesla's strategy of "retaining core three-electric systems + simplifying peripheral configurations" precisely caters to the needs of price-sensitive consumers. This also lays a competitive foundation for the upcoming domestically produced "budget" Model 3 (expected price of 180,000 RMB) in the Chinese market.