• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

Tesla’s Model X Poised to Enter China

By
Kirsten Korosec
Kirsten Korosec
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kirsten Korosec
Kirsten Korosec
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 2, 2016, 4:12 PM ET
Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks during an event to launch the new Tesla Model X Crossover SUV on September 29, 2015 in Fremont, California. After several production delays, Elon Mush officially launched the much anticipated Tesla Model X Crossover SUV. The
Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks during an event to launch the new Tesla Model X Crossover SUV on September 29, 2015 in Fremont, California. After several production delays, Elon Mush officially launched the much anticipated Tesla Model X Crossover SUV. ThePhotograph by Justin Sullivan — Getty Images

Tesla Motors expects to begin shipping its Model X in China by June, opening what will likely be the second market for the electric SUV after the U.S.

The decision about the timing, announced by the company in a blog post on Tuesday and first reported by Electrek, illustrates the importance of the world’s biggest car market. European countries like Germany and Norway have shipment dates in the second half of the year.

Tesla also announced pricing of the Model X in China. The company is selling a limited edition signature red version of the Model X P90D to Chinese customers for about $225,000. The standard version of the Model X 90D will cost $146,000 to $178,000.

The Model X, which was delivered to its first U.S. customers in September, is Tesla’s third electric car—and arguably its most important. The Model X not only helps Tesla reach a different audience—particularly women—it will generate much-needed revenue to produce and sell a cheaper, more mainstream electric vehicle, the Model 3.

The all-wheel drive Model X has a range between 220 and 257 miles, depending on the battery pack size and can reach a top speed of 155 miles per hour. The floor-mounted battery, similar to Tesla’s Model S sedan, gives this SUV a low center of gravity. Four suspension settings let the driver raise the vehicle’s clearance, if necessary.

The SUV is loaded with other futuristic features, including falcon-wing doors, and a medical-grade filter system in the car that scrubs the outside air of pollen, bacteria, and other pollutants. CEO Elon Musk has said the filter provides “hospital operating room cleanliness in the car.” Some critics say Musk has exaggerated the filter’s capabilities.

The HEPA filter could be one of the more appealing features to customers in China, a country plagued by chronic air pollution.

For more on Tesla’s Model X

Still, China is notoriously difficult for foreign automakers to penetrate—something Tesla discovered in 2014 when it first entered the market with the Model S. At the time, Tesla appeared well-positioned in China, where demand for luxury goods was growing and the government was encouraging the buying of electric vehicles to help curb pollution.

Tesla invested heavily by going on a hiring spree (it eventually had a staff of 600 people), and opened stores and service centers. It also began an aggressive rollout of its network of free fast-charging stations known as superchargers.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

But those efforts fell short. The company delivered an estimated 3,500 cars in 2014, below its goal and behind electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles produced by Chinese rivals BYD and BAIC.

Musk placed much of the blame on a misconception among Chinese consumers that charging electric cars was difficult. Others argued that infrastructure, in a country where most people don’t have private garages to charge cars, was the real problem. Meanwhile, Chinese-owned electric vehicle automakers have flourished, largely due to rules that favor homegrown companies.

Tesla’s sales were also slowed because the Model S wasn’t initially certified as a “new energy” vehicle, which would have let local governments exempt them from a license plate lottery system used to control the number of cars on the road and the pollution from them. The company neglected to certify itself with each individual city to be included on their selected vehicle list.

Tesla’s prospects in China improved last year with 3,025 vehicles delivered in the first nine months of the year. Full-year results were not available. And sales should continue to improve now that Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Tianjin have added Tesla to its selected new energy vehicle list.

About the Author
By Kirsten Korosec
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Trump Mobile quietly rewrote its fine print to say the gold Trump phone may never be made, a year after taking $100 deposits
North AmericaU.S. Politics
Trump Mobile quietly rewrote its fine print to say the gold Trump phone may never be made, a year after taking $100 deposits
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 11, 2026
4 hours ago
Nvidia co-founder and CEO Jensen Huang is driving a squeeze of memory chips.
AISemiconductors
Wall Street thinks memory is AI’s golden ticket. Harvard’s chip expert warns: ‘Curves that just go to the sky with no end…never continue forever’
By Eva RoytburgMay 11, 2026
7 hours ago
Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary wants to build a massive $100 billion data center in rural Utah. Residents are revolting
AIData centers
Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary wants to build a massive $100 billion data center in rural Utah. Residents are revolting
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 11, 2026
8 hours ago
Santa Clara County is suing Meta over allegations it profited from scam advertisements that particularly targeted seniors and families
LawMeta
Santa Clara County is suing Meta over allegations it profited from scam advertisements that particularly targeted seniors and families
By Catherina GioinoMay 11, 2026
9 hours ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
Economyconstruction
Jensen Huang’s message to electricians and plumbers: ‘This is your time,’ as AI buildout leads to soaring demand for skilled trades
By Tristan BoveMay 11, 2026
10 hours ago
worker alone in empty office
Future of WorkTech
AI isn’t paying off in the way companies think. Layoffs driven by automation are failing to generate returns, study finds
By Jake AngeloMay 11, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

Forget U.S. debt, China's total borrowing is in 'a league of its own'—much worse and deteriorating faster, analyst says
Economy
Forget U.S. debt, China's total borrowing is in 'a league of its own'—much worse and deteriorating faster, analyst says
By Jason MaMay 11, 2026
10 hours ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a 'life advisor'—but college students might be one step ahead
Tech
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a 'life advisor'—but college students might be one step ahead
By Sydney LakeMay 10, 2026
2 days ago
‘This is the way’: Elon Musk endorses Warren Buffett’s famed 5-minute plan to fix the national debt
Economy
‘This is the way’: Elon Musk endorses Warren Buffett’s famed 5-minute plan to fix the national debt
By Jacqueline MunisMay 10, 2026
2 days ago
Microsoft’s CFO admits she joined the tech giant without even knowing her salary—and then missed her first day of work
Success
Microsoft’s CFO admits she joined the tech giant without even knowing her salary—and then missed her first day of work
By Preston ForeMay 11, 2026
12 hours ago
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
Success
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 9, 2026
3 days ago
'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
Future of Work
'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
By Jake AngeloMay 9, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.