Earlier this week, a report was released that revealed Tesla’s margins for the Model Y crossover in Shanghai. Guosen Securities, a Shenzen-based financial firm, found that Tesla holds a nearly 30% marginal rate on every unit. As the Model Y just recently began production and has become available for Chinese citizens to order, Tesla is already winning in 2021 as demand for the all-electric crossover is expected to be higher than the already-popular Model 3.
Peeking at the margins, it was reminiscent of the astronomical margins Tesla held early on with the Model 3 in Shanghai: 39.37%.
Breaking down the math for you all, an article I wrote earlier this week on the topic describes the price for manufacturing the vehicle and then compares it to the Made-in-Shanghai Model Y price for consumers.
“According to the Shenzhen, China-based financial firm, Tesla’s China Model Y only costs ¥237,930 (USD 36,852) to produce. However, its selling point gives Tesla a 29.4% gross margin with a price of ¥339,900 (USD 52,646.25). Due to the current demand for the all-electric crossover that just started being produced at Giga Shanghai, Tesla has plenty of room to come down. The company will likely do this after the demand is sustained for several months because the automaker did the same thing with the Model 3 after its initial gross margin was also turning Tesla a tasty profit.”
As a $TSLA investor, the margins made me feel great. Tesla is turning a sizeable profit on Model Y builds early on, and the margins are significantly higher than the automotive industry average, which sets around 8-10%. Holding 30% margins on any product, let alone a $52,000 car, is everything investors want. It means the company is pricing their vehicles to be competitive in a market where EVs are thriving, but it also means that Tesla is able to sell their car at a higher price while still being able to keep demand sustained.
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But it got me to thinking, does this mean that Tesla could technically drop the price of the Model Y in the future? The company would have the ability to still turn a profit and have a great margin that is higher than the auto industry average, but it would also create even more buzz for the car because it would be priced even lower than it already is. It is no secret that Tesla leads the industry in many ways, and a cheaper price tag for a Tesla EV would likely do a number of things that could be looked at positively: 1) Make a car more affordable, inching closer to price parity, and 2) Increase the number of vehicles on the road that dawn the Tesla T.
From an investor’s standpoint, it is tough to see an argument where lower margins are a good thing. We want competitive pricing, but why would we want it to be lower if the sales are there? Demand is healthy, there is no questioning that. Tesla showrooms in China were filled over the weekend with people looking to get a glimpse of the Model Y. Rumors have indicated that Tesla has already sold out of the car, showing that the vehicle was highly-anticipated and regardless of the price, people would buy.
Tesla showrooms get volunteer help amid Made-in-China Model Y launch
So what’s the big deal? Why would anyone want to decrease the cost of the cars?
From a consumer standpoint, lower prices are always better. Of course, wherever we can stand to save a few hundred, or even a couple thousand dollars on a car, we are going to do it. Of course, Tesla did away with price negotiations for cars (which is by far the most stressful part of buying a vehicle), so it’s not like owners can save money by wiggling down salespeople.
But looking at it from this point of view, Tesla has room to come down, and they’ve done it before. The Model 3, at the time of its release in China last year, was giving Tesla a massive 39.37% margin, and the price of the car was decreased five times in 2020. Based on estimations, Tesla could have margins around 25% on the Model 3 now, a nearly 15% decrease compared to the earliest projections.
There was wiggle room: Tesla did it once to reach the price point for government incentives, and others because production costs had gone down due to vertical integration. Grace Tao says there are probably no more price reductions in the future on the Model 3, but who knows what could happen.
The Model Y is a highly appealing vehicle due to its body style. Crossovers are some of the most popular cars on the market, and Tesla knows that. Elon Musk once said that the Y would overcome the 3 and be Tesla’s biggest seller. After the company released the Standard Range RWD variant on Thursday night, it is a good possibility to happen this year.
I think it is safe to assume that the Model Y will be a popular car in China just like the Model 3 has been. I think it is safe to assume that Tesla will really only battle with GM’s Wuling HongGuang Mini EV in that market this year. I also think it is safe to assume that Tesla isn’t going to adjust the price of the Model Y soon, considering the car just came out.
Moving forward, I think that consumers can assume that the Model Y will drop in price. Tesla will confirm that demand is healthy, and the company will continue to integrate parts of the car locally to save costs. This will bring the cost of the vehicle down anyway, so the price to the consumer will likely be adjusted accordingly.
There are advantages to keeping the margins high, especially with Tesla, because it is such a young company. Profitability will only increase, and Tesla will likely extend its consecutive quarter streak because of it. Tesla will make more money, sales will likely remain as demand is healthy, and shareholders will keep their smiles because the stock price will go up.
There are also advantages to cutting the cost: Tesla will move closer to parity with gas cars by adjusting the price, it will still have considerably higher margins than the auto industry average, and it will still make Tesla money, even if it is less.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter. I spoke to other investors, and they saw both sides as well, but of course, they felt the higher margins were more advantageous as their money is funneled into the company. I also feel that the high margins benefit me personally, but I would also like to see price decreases in the future to make the EVs more affordable.
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Tesla is offering a tasty Supercharging incentive on certain Model 3 trims, but the company has officially put a concrete end date on it, so those interested should act fast.
Tesla is offering Free Supercharging for One Year on the Model 3 Premium and Performance trims, the top two offerings of the all-electric sedan. There are three trims of the Model 3 that will have the Free Supercharging offer attached:
- Premium Rear-Wheel-Drive – $42,490
- Premium All-Wheel-Drive – $47,490
- Performance – $54,990
Tesla has now announced that this offer will expire on June 15, giving potential buyers about ten days to take advantage of the incentive.
This could be an additional incentive for car buyers to transition to electric vehicles. Many states are showing gas prices well over $4 per gallon, with the national average currently sitting at $4.22, according to AAA.
A free year of Supercharging miles would allow people to charge and travel for free, other than routine maintenance, which is already incredibly cheap compared to a gas car.
🚨 Tesla is now showing that it’s Free Supercharging offer for Model 3 Premium and Performance trims ends June 15 pic.twitter.com/VCLeddNSj8
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 5, 2026
At Tesla Superchargers, peak rates, meaning prices between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., average between $0.45 and $0.60. One year of driving at an average of 12,000 miles would cost between $1,000 and $1,500 at $0.50 per kWh. It’s a pretty good deal.
Supercharging prices have also increased recently:
Many of the Superchargers in my area just had their peak rates increased from $0.44 per kWh to $0.49, $0.52, and $0.54 per kWh
If you’re looking to save on your commute/travel for the next year, this Model 3 Free Supercharging incentive might not be a bad idea https://t.co/YDwwl4xxHk pic.twitter.com/DleURW7eqa
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 5, 2026
Tesla has used Free Supercharging to move units in the past, and it’s a great strategy for those who plan to use the car for longer commutes, cross-country drives, or do not have reliable access to home charging.
It should be noted that Tesla recommends that Supercharging be used at a minimum to preserve the life of the battery, as fast-charging is more stressful on the cells.
However, some people might not have an option, so the Free Supercharging incentive could truly be a great reason for many people to charge their cars.
The Supercharging incentive is short-term, and it is pretty rare that Tesla utilizes it, so once this offer is gone, we probably will not see it on the Model 3 for some time.
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna revealed that the Italian automaker’s future will not involve self-driving, a point that echoes that of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s — sort of.
You might be thinking, “Are you insane? Musk has been so incredibly hellbent on delivering self-driving vehicles to the public, so much so that he has even hinted that Tesla won’t need the ever-popular and widely-requested Model Y L in the U.S.”
However, when it comes to electric supercars with high-performance specs and lofty price tags, Vigna’s stance is exactly what Musk wants for Tesla’s own hypercar project, the Tesla Roadster.
🚨 Tesla Roadster vs. Ferrari Luce
Price – $250,000 vs. $640,000
Horsepower – 1,000+ vs. 1,035
0-60 MPH – 1.1s OR 1.9s vs. 2.4s
Top Speed – 250+ MPH vs. 194 MPH
Range – 620 miles vs. 280 miles https://t.co/uEgswwVLeD pic.twitter.com/XcP58ZRO6Z— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 5, 2026
In a new interview with Australian media outlet Drive, Vigna made it clear that Ferrari’s ambitions for the future do not involve autonomy, simply because the company’s cars are not designed for anything but manual, spirited driving.
He said:
“We will not make fully autonomous cars — loud and clear. We want the people to have fun, not the [computer] chips. We want to have a steering wheel and a man or a woman behind the steering wheel. Otherwise, why do you buy a Ferrari?”
This seems to be a reasonable assertion. Ferraris are not made for daily commutes, cross-country road trips, or bumper-to-bumper traffic. They’re made for fast, spirited driving, and many of their buyers will only put a few thousand miles on them throughout their lifetime. True, exciting, fun driving is meant to be done manually.
That is not to say Full Self-Driving or other semi-autonomous suites are not “fun,” but they are meant to take the stress out of driving. They are made for the daily commutes, the rush hour traffic, and the parking lots and garages. It’s made to take the stress out of driving.
Tesla Full Self-Driving attempts 150-mile stress test: the good and the bad
Musk had stated in an interview in early 2026 that the Roadster would also be geared toward fun, manually-controlled driving. On the Moonshots podcast with Peter Diamandis, Musk said about the Roadster:
“This is not a…safety is not the main goal. If you buy a Ferrari, safety is not the number one goal. I say, if safety is your number one goal, do not buy the Roadster…We’ll aspire not to kill anyone in this car. It’ll be the best of the last of the human-driven cars. The best of the last.”
There are cars out there that simply are meant to be driven by humans, and Ferraris and Roadsters are a few of them. Ferrari has no true advantage in developing self-driving; their cars sell at low volumes with high price tags, and their performance specs and engineering are all geared toward spirited driving.
Tesla has upgraded the Model Y’s two most affordable trims, the Rear-Wheel-Drive and All-Wheel-Drive, with two new interior features that bring them level with their “Premium” siblings.
The Rear-Wheel-Drive (RWD) and All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) trims, formerly known as the “Standard” offerings of Tesla’s most popular vehicle, are now fitted with the all-black headliner and a higher-quality 16-inch center screen, two features that were added to the Premium trims earlier this year.
Here’s what the new Black Headliner looks like compared to the old design in the Model Y RWD and AWD: https://t.co/vaMUZz30UC pic.twitter.com/i1yXjJNu7L
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 5, 2026
The RWD and AWD trims of the Model Y now have a more premium interior feel with these upgrades, and it also appears to be a move by Tesla to streamline manufacturing by eliminating variance across configuration levels.
It makes production less complicated when the interior colors are all identical. Additionally, all Model Y builds now have the larger and higher-resolution screen than previous model years.
Priced at $39,990 and $41,990, respectively, the Model Y RWD and AWD are quite different from the Premium trims. Tesla aimed to make an affordable version of what has been the best-selling car in the world on several occasions, enabling more accessibility.
The differences from an interior standpoint are noticeable, as there is significantly less storage, a lack of A/C seats, and no glass roof. However, the car is still a great option and features a good powertrain, strong range ratings of 321 miles for the RWD and 294 miles for the AWD, and a great ride quality.
Tesla Model Y Standard Full Review: Is it worth the lower price?
Other shortcomings are the lack of acoustic-lined windows, which are featured in the Premium trims to help with excess cabin noise. In our testing of the Model Y Standard back in late 2025, this was perhaps the most noticeable difference between it and the Premium trim. The stereo was also a huge difference:
This now includes the Model Y RWD and AWD, the two trims that were formerly know as “Standard”
You can see what the big differences are between the RWD/AWD and the Premium below:
https://t.co/ptLnm95KjX https://t.co/vaMUZz30UC pic.twitter.com/scuRNErXoC
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 5, 2026
The RWD and AWD trims of the Model Y are still a great vehicle at an affordable price, and you can experience them for yourself at your local Tesla showroom. Test drives are always available, and it’s a great way to experience an EV for yourself, especially if you have no knowledge about them.
Tesla Model 3 has a tasty Supercharging incentive, but it’s ending soon
Ferrari CEO’s self-driving stance echoes Elon Musk’s — sort of
