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Tesla China launches new low-interest promos on Model Y, Model 3

New zero- and low-interest financing terms arrive for both the Tesla Model Y and Model 3.

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Credit: Tesla Asia | X

Tesla China has launched new promotions on the recently released Model Y refresh and the Model 3, offering special zero-interest loans for the next few weeks.

On Monday, Tesla began offering zero-interest loans with one- to three-year terms on purchases of the new Model Y, available between April 1 and 30 on the company’s order configurator. In addition, the automaker is offering a one- to five-year interest plan with annual rates as low as 1 percent when buyers make a down payment of at least RMB 45,900 (~$6,325).

Tesla China’s April 2025 Model Y promotions

Credit: Tesla China

You can read more details on Tesla China’s zero-interest promotion below, as detailed on the order configurator page and translated into English from Chinese.

Rejuvenated Model Y rear-wheel drive version, long-range all-wheel drive version – limited-time 0-interest/low-interest loan scheme

Customers who purchase the new Model Y rear-wheel-drive version/long-range all-wheel drive version/long range during the event from April 1, 2025 to April 30, 2025, and deliver and pay in the order before the expiration date of the vehicle, customers who meet the application qualification can apply for the following financial preferential schemes:

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    • Starting from RMB 79,900, you can enjoy a 1 to 3 year 0 interest plan
    • From the down payment of RMB 45,900, you can enjoy a 1- to 5-year low-interest program with an annual rate of 1.00 percent (from 1.84 percent).

Tesla China’s April 2025 Model 3 promotions

Credit: Tesla China

The company is also offering five-year, zero-interest financing for the Model 3 RWD and AWD Long Range, and you can see the terms for the zero- and low-interest Model 3 promotions and others below:

Model 3 rear-wheel drive version, long-range all-wheel drive version – limited-time 0-interest/low-interest loan solution

Customers who purchase a designated version of the Model 3, long-range all-wheel-drive version, long-range all-wheel-drive version, and delivery and payment terms in the order during the event from April 1, 2025 to April 30, 2025, customers who meet the eligibility requirements can apply for the following financial preferential schemes:

    • Starting at RMB 79,900, you can enjoy a 1 to 5 year 0 interest plan
    • Starting from RMB 45,900, you can enjoy a 1 to 5 year low interest program with an annual rate of 0.5 percent (from 0.92 percent per annum)

Additionally, Model 3 buyers can get discounted rates on home charging equipment, or a six-year Supercharging package offering up to 30,000km (~18,641 miles) of charging for free.

READ MORE ON TESLA CHINA: Tesla China seems to have overtaken Q1 2024’s registrations with new Model Y ramp

Tesla first launched the refreshed Model Y in China in January, debuting the refaced vehicle with a special “Launch Edition” series that came with special badging and an extra two years or 40,000km (~24,855 miles) of warranty time. Deliveries of the Launch Edition Model Y began in China late last month, and Tesla officially transitioned to selling non-Launch models in the first few days of March.

For the Chinese market and several others, Tesla produces the Model Y and Model 3 at a Gigafactory in Shanghai. In recent weeks, reports have suggested that Giga Shanghai may also be looking to produce an even cheaper version of the new Model Y without some of the extra add-ons, perhaps not unlike the cheaper Model 3 that launched in Mexico last August.

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Tesla launches massive promotion in China for FSD

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla influencers argue company’s polarizing Full Self-Driving transfer decision

Tesla maintains it will honor transfers for orders with initial delivery windows before the deadline and offers full deposit refunds otherwise, citing longstanding fine print that the program is “subject to change at any time.”

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Tesla’s decision to tighten its Full Self-Driving (FSD) transfer promotion has ignited fierce debate among owners and enthusiasts.

The company quietly updated its terms in late February 2026, changing the eligibility from “order by March 31, 2026” to “take delivery by March 31, 2026.”

What began as a flexible incentive to boost sales, allowing buyers to transfer their paid FSD (Supervised) to a new vehicle, now excludes many, particularly Cybertruck owners facing delivery delays into summer or later.

Tesla maintains it will honor transfers for orders with initial delivery windows before the deadline and offers full deposit refunds otherwise, citing longstanding fine print that the program is “subject to change at any time.”

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The reversal has polarized the Tesla community, with accusations of a “bait-and-switch” clashing against defenses of corporate pragmatism. Many owners who placed orders under the original wording feel betrayed, especially as production backlogs and new unsupervised FSD rollout complicate timelines.

However, Tesla has allowed them to cancel their orders and receive a refund.

Critics of the decision argue that the change disadvantages loyal customers who helped fund FSD development, calling it poor communication and a revenue grab as Tesla pivots toward subscriptions.

Popular influencers have amplified the divide. Whole Mars Catalog struck a measured but firm tone, acknowledging the original “order by” language but emphasizing Tesla’s right to adjust terms. He has continued to defend Tesla in this particular issue:

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He criticized extreme backlash as “dramatization” and “spoiled kids,” noting the unsupervised FSD era and broader sales challenges make blanket transfers financially risky. Whole Mars advocated for polite outreach to CEO Elon Musk over the issue.

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In a contrasting perspective, Dirty TesLA voiced sharper frustration, posting that blocking transfers feels “crazy” and distancing himself from “people that want to worship a corporation and say they can do no wrong.” His stance resonated with owners who view the policy flip as disrespectful to early adopters.

Popular Tesla influencer Sawyer Merritt captured the frustration felt by thousands. In a widely shared thread viewed over 700,000 times, Merritt detailed how pre-change Cybertruck orders now risk losing FSD eligibility unless their initial delivery window falls before March 31.

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The controversy underscores deeper tensions—between Tesla’s need for revenue discipline and owners’ expectations of goodwill. As FSD evolves toward unsupervised capability, the community remains split: some see the change as necessary business, others as a broken promise. Whether Tesla reconsiders under pressure or holds firm remains to be seen, but it does not appear they are planning to budge.

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Tesla Semi’s latest adoptee will likely encourage more of the same

Public visibility matters. When shoppers see a trusted name like Ralph’s running clean, high-tech trucks on public roads, skepticism fades. Competitors such as Albertsons, which pre-ordered Semis years ago, and other chains chasing ESG targets now have proof that electric autonomy works in real-world grocery fleets.

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Credit: X | ChargePozitive

The latest adoptee of the Tesla Semi will likely encourage more businesses in the same realm to adopt the all-electric Class 8 truck, as a new company utilizing the Semi has been spotted in Southern California.

A sleek, futuristic Tesla Semi truck branded for Ralph’s Supermarkets was spotted cruising a Los Angeles highway in a viral 13-second dashcam video posted March 2, by X user ChargePozitive.

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This sighting confirms Kroger’s March 2025 partnership with Tesla to deploy up to 500 autonomous electric Semis.

While the initial announcement targeted Midwest supply chains, the California appearance under the Ralph’s banner shows the program expanding to Kroger’s West Coast operations. Ralph’s, a staple for millions of Southern California shoppers, is now hauling groceries with the Semi, which has zero tailpipe emissions and claims up to 500 miles of range per charge.

Tesla Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels

The timing could not be better for sustainable logistics. Traditional trucking accounts for a massive share of retail emissions, but Tesla’s Semi slashes fuel and maintenance costs while leveraging full autonomy to ease driver shortages and improve safety.

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Tesla’s expanding Megacharger network, including new sites along major freight corridors and partnerships like the recently-announced one with Pilot Travel Centers, is removing range anxiety and making nationwide scaling realistic. There’s still a long way to go, but things are moving in the right direction.

Public visibility matters. When shoppers see a trusted name like Ralph’s running clean, high-tech trucks on public roads, skepticism fades. Competitors such as Albertsons, which pre-ordered Semis years ago, and other chains chasing ESG targets now have proof that electric autonomy works in real-world grocery fleets.

PepsiCo’s successful pilots already demonstrated viability, and Ralph’s sighting adds retail credibility.

As Tesla ramps high-volume Semi production through 2026, this isn’t an isolated curiosity. Instead, it’s a catalyst. More grocers adopting the platform will accelerate industry-wide decarbonization, cut operating expenses, and deliver tangible environmental wins.

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The future of sustainable supply chains is already on the highway, and Ralph’s just made it impossible to ignore.

Moving forward, Tesla hopes to expand the Semi program into other regions, including Europe, which CEO Elon Musk recently said is a total possibility next year.

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Tesla ramps Cybercab test manufacturing ahead of mass production

Tesla still has plans for volume production, which remains between four and eight weeks away, aligning with Musk’s statements that early ramps would be deliberately measured given the Cybercab’s novel architecture and full reliance on Tesla’s vision-based Full Self-Driving technology.

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla is seemingly ramping Cybercab test manufacturing ahead of mass production, which is scheduled to begin next month, the company said.

At Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas, production of the Cybercab, the company’s groundbreaking purpose-built Robotaxi vehicle, is accelerating markedly. Drone footage from Joe Tegtmeyer captured striking aerial footage today, revealing what appears to be the largest public sighting of Cyebrcabs to date.

A total of 25 units were observed by Tegtmeyer across the Gigafactory Texas property, marking a clear step-up in testing and validation activities as Tesla prepares for a broader output.

Tesla Cybercab production begins: The end of car ownership as we know it?

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In the footage, 14 metallic gold Cybercabs were parked in a tight formation outside the factory exit, showcasing their sleek, autonomous-only design with no steering wheels, pedals, or traditional controls. Another 9 units sat at the crash testing facility, likely undergoing structural and safety validations, while two more appeared at the west end-of-line area for final checks.

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Tegtmeyer noted additional Cybercabs driving around the complex, hinting at active movement and real-world testing beyond static parking.

This surge follows the first production Cybercab rolling off the line in mid-February 2026, several weeks ahead of the originally anticipated April start.

That milestone, celebrated by Tesla employees and confirmed by CEO Elon Musk, kicked off low-volume builds on the dedicated “unboxed” manufacturing line, a modular process designed to slash costs, reduce factory footprint, and enable faster assembly compared to conventional methods.

Industry observers interpret the jump to dozens of visible units in early March as evidence that Tesla has transitioned into higher-volume test manufacturing.

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Tesla still has plans for volume production, which remains between four and eight weeks away, aligning with Musk’s statements that early ramps would be deliberately measured given the Cybercab’s novel architecture and full reliance on Tesla’s vision-based Full Self-Driving technology.

The Cybercab, envisioned as a sub-$30,000 autonomous two-seater for robotaxi fleets, represents Tesla’s bold pivot toward scalable autonomy and robotics.

Tesla fans and enthusiasts on X praised the imagery, with many expressing excitement over the visible progress toward deployment. While challenges remain, including software maturity, regulatory hurdles, and supply chain scaling, the increased factory activity underscores Tesla’s momentum in turning the Cybercab vision into reality.

As Giga Texas continues expanding and refining the manufacturing process of the Cybercab, the coming months will prove to be a pivotal time in determining how quickly this revolutionary vehicle reaches roads in the U.S. and internationally.

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