Price of the Tesla Model S Performance in China will start at 1.2 million yuan or 198.000 USD. Price in the United States starts at 94.570 USD (without tax credit or incentives). The Tesla Model S is not liable for any green car subsidies which only apply for China-made automobiles. Sales of the Model S will officially start in June. Tesla will use the Chinese name Tesila (特斯拉).

The huge price difference is partly caused by import taxes and partly by the urge to earn extra money. Tesla currently has only one dealer in China, in the capital Beijing. Tesla is planning a second dealer in Shanghai but isn’t moving into any other cities yet. Earlier this month Tesla announced a plan to build a super charger network on roads from Beijing to Shanghai but no timetable was given.

The launch of the Model S on the Chinese car market has been delayed several times due to problems with the Chinese name and with finding the right import channels. All seems done now but the high price and lack of dealers will make sure the Model S will be a rarity on Chinese roads for a long time coming.