▲Tesla Model Y vehicle image.
[에너지경제신문 여헌우 기자] As ‘Chinese Tesla’ is gaining popularity in Korea, interest in the performance of low-cost electric vehicles equipped with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries is increasing. The LFP electric car is a model with a reduced mileage to lower the price, but it has the disadvantage of being particularly vulnerable in the cold, so attention is required.
According to the industry on the 23rd, the ‘Model Y Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)’ recently launched by Tesla Korea in Korea is made at the Giga Factory in Shanghai, China.
Tesla has significantly lowered the selling price by installing inexpensive batteries in this car. The official domestic sales price is 56.99 million won. The amount of subsidy from the Ministry of Environment has not yet been decided, but it is expected to be available for purchase in the range of 40 to 50 million won. The price of the Model Y four-wheel drive model that Tesla previously sold in Korea is 78.74 million to 85.34 million won.
When Tesla vehicles formed a price similar to domestic electric vehicles, consumers reacted immediately. It is known that more than 20,000 pre-orders have been signed in about a week after receiving the vehicle order on the 14th. There are cases where several contracts are made to receive vehicles quickly, but considering that the down payment is 3 million won, most of them are expected to lead to actual demand.
The problem is that Tesla also adjusted the performance of electric vehicles to lower the price of the vehicle by more than 20 million won. The Model Y four-wheel drive model is equipped with a ternary system (NCM) battery, but the RWD uses an LFP. Because of this, the Model Y RWD has a driving range of only 350 km.
Lithium-ion batteries lose their efficiency as the temperature decreases. Unlike internal combustion locomotives that can utilize engine heat, there is also a disadvantage that electricity must be used when turning on the heater. In particular, LFP batteries are characterized by being more vulnerable to cold than ternary batteries.
Tesla electric vehicles also have lower mileage compared to vehicles made by finished car makers such as Hyundai Motor Company and Volkswagen compared to room temperature. According to the Ministry of Environment, the Ioniq 5 and EV6 have over 90% low-temperature operation efficiency, but the Tesla Model Y four-wheel drive long-range model is only in the mid-80% range.
There is also a variable that customers may not receive subsidies as expected. In order to receive full subsidies in Korea, various conditions must be met, such as electric car price, mileage, electricity cost, and efforts to spread charging infrastructure. In the case of the Tesla Model Y RWD, it is expected that it will not meet a number of requirements, including infrastructure.
In a situation where the US is pressuring Korean companies with the ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ (IRA), there is also a perception in the market that there is no need to give 100% subsidies to Tesla vehicles.
An industry insider said, “Looking at the contract rate for the Model Y, we were able to confirm that customers respond to the Tesla brand first rather than the fact that it is made in China.”
2023-07-23 00:01:02
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