A Tesla car pictured at a charging point in Beijing, China, April 13, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo
BEIJING, Aug 10 (Reuters) – U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) sold 32,968 China-made vehicles in July, including 24,347 for export, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) said on Tuesday.
Local sales of China-made vehicles plunged 69% to 8,621 cars from 28,138 in June. Tesla’s sales in the first month of each quarter are usually lower than the following two months.
The company, which makes Model 3 sedans and Model Y sport-utility vehicles in Shanghai, sold 33,155 China-made vehicles in June.
Last month, Tesla introduced a cheaper version of the Model Y in China, where it faces increased scrutiny from both regulators and the public and growing competition from local rivals. It also lowered the starting price for Model 3 sedans.
China’s BYD sold 50,387 electric vehicles last month, while General Motors Co’s (GM.N) China joint venture with SAIC Motor (600104.SS) delivered 27,347 units.
CPCA also said China sold 1.52 million passenger cars in July, down 6.4% from a year earlier.
Reporting by Yilei Sun and Brenda Goh
Editing by Louise Heavens and Mark Potter
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