Tesla Cuts Prices in China, Sparking Questions on EV Demand

Tesla, the renowned electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has once again announced significant price reductions in China. This move has caused shares to dip during early trading on Monday, igniting discussions surrounding price wars and the state of demand for EVs in the largest automotive market worldwide.

Recently, Tesla unveiled an enticing incentive in China, offering a discount of ¥8,000 (approximately $1,100) on select Model 3 sedans. Additionally, prices for both the long-range and performance versions of the Model Y crossover vehicle have been reduced by ¥14,000 (about $2,000).

While Tesla's stock is experiencing a 1.7% decline in premarket trading, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite are showing modest gains of 0.2% and 0.4%, respectively.

The starting price for a long-range Model Y in China is now about ¥300,000 (equivalent to $41,400). Comparatively, at the beginning of 2023, the long-range Model Y was priced at approximately ¥358,000 (approximately $49,400). On the other hand, the performance version of the Model Y now begins at around ¥350,000 (about $48,300), compared to its earlier price of roughly ¥398,000 (approximately $55,000) this year.

These price cuts from Tesla are coming on the heels of Zeekr, an EV brand owned by Geely, who recently slashed prices for their Zeekr 001 crossover-sized vehicle. On average, prices for three variants of the Zeekr 001 dropped by approximately $5,000, with base prices now ranging from approximately $40,000 to $52,000.

Determining whether Tesla's price adjustments were in response to Zeekr or driven by market conditions is difficult. Unfortunately, Tesla did not provide any comments regarding these recent changes.

Chinese EV Demand and Price Cuts

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) demand remains strong in 2023, with sales of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) increasing by about 23% compared to the previous year. According to Citi analyst Jeff Chung, approximately 3 million BEVs were sold through July. New energy vehicles, including BEVs and plug-in hybrids, accounted for nearly 36% of all new car sales in July, showing a two-percentage-point increase from June.

Zeekr and Tesla Sales

Zeekr, while representing only 2% of the market, saw a significant year-over-year growth of about 127%, selling approximately 55,000 BEVs through July. Tesla also experienced positive growth in China, selling around 294,000 BEVs in the first half of 2023, an increase of about 50% compared to the previous year.

Demand and Price Cuts

Despite the impressive demand, investors will closely monitor the impact of increasing price cuts by automakers, including Tesla, on the future demand. While demand is strong, concerns regarding profitability arise with the continuous price reductions. Price cuts tend to exert pressure on profit margins, as seen with Tesla's operating profit margin decreasing to just under 10% in the second quarter of 2023, from almost 15% the previous year.

Balancing Benefits and Challenges

Nevertheless, price cuts have yielded some benefits for Tesla. The company delivered a record-breaking 466,140 EVs in the second quarter and is projected to deliver around 1.8 million EVs in total for 2023, surpassing the 1.3 million delivered in 2022.

The remarkable delivery growth has contributed to Tesla's stock performance, which has surged by approximately 97% year-to-date. This significant increase far exceeds the respective gains of the S&P 500 (16%) and the Nasdaq Composite (30%).

Looking Ahead

While Tesla's stock has seen positive growth, investors should expect potential volatility at the beginning of the week as the market responds to the new price cuts. The continuous development of Chinese EV demand and the balancing act of price cuts versus profitability will remain key points of interest in the coming months.