Tesla cars have been included on a Chinese local government’s list of electric vehicles that can be bought by public, party and government groups for the first time.
Elon Musk’s EV group is the only foreign-owned car manufacturer on the list published by the eastern province of Jiangsu. The company was among the 10 auto brands on the approved procurement list alongside Geely-owned Volvo Cars, SAIC-owned MG and state-owned Changan.
Jiangsu’s announcement comes at a critical point for Tesla in China, which accounts for 60 per cent of global EV sales. The country is becoming increasingly important as the appetite for battery-run cars has been on the wane in the US and Europe.