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Here's how buying a Tesla Model S works in China

When it comes to selling and delivering the California-made Tesla electric vehicles in China, we know there's a bit of a time difference. And that difference may be more a matter of months than hours as the California-based electric vehicle maker prepares to start sales in the world's most populous country, Forbes says. Not that it makes Tesla any less confident about its prospects there. Tesla's first showroom in China opened in Beijing in early November and a service center popped up about 13 miles away from there. The company is asking for an upfront $2,400 deposit on its Model S sedans and another $19,500 deposit after customization is complete. Foggier, though is the estimated delivery time, which for vehicles ordered this month can range from July to October, depending on who's doing the estimating, according to Forbes. Tesla representatives didn't respond to our request for clarification but you can get more details in Forbes. Still, Tesla executives have said they expect for China to account for about a third of global sales this year and as much as half in 2015, which could mean about 25,000 vehicles purchased in the country. All this despite the fact that Tesla, like other automakers, has upped the price of its cars for China compared to the levels in other countries. Tesla in January set a base price for the 85-kilowatt-hour Model S of more than $120,000 (depending on the exchange rate) in China. The company says that the price could have been higher, but it wanted to set a fair price.

Tesla begins selling in China, despite lack of formal company name

Car buyers in China can now start shopping for a new Tesla Model S. Only problem is, the California-based automaker doesn't seem to have hammered down a brand name for that market. According to Reuters, Tesla is still dealing with a trademark squatter for "Tesla" (or "Te Si La"), so in the meantime, it is a brand without a name.
Tesla has launched a website in China under the Tousule name, but it doesn't appear that will be the official nomenclature for cars sold in China. According to the report, a Tesla salesman in Beijing doesn't know when - or even if - Tesla plans to come up with a Chinese name for its brand. We reached out to Tesla for a comment on the matter, but we've yet to receive any response regarding this ongoing situation in China.

Pininfarina teases its Tesla- and Bugatti-baiting EV supercar

Pininfarina isn't being bashful when it comes to getting into the car business. The Italian design house has revealed a sketch of the PF0 Concept, an electric supercar aimed directly at the world's fastest and most expensive vehicles. With upward of 1,000 horsepower, along with an expected price in the millions of dollars, this extreme EV is meant as a calling card for Pininfarina's upcoming range of electric cars and SUVs. So should the likes of Tesla, Porsche, Ferrari, Bugatti and Lamborghini be worried? Pininfarina might be new to building its own cars, but the company has many decades of experience designing and engineering some of the most desirable cars of all time — including many of the finest supercars to have worn a Ferrari badge on their nose. As we reported earlier this year, Pininfarina has teamed with Indian auto manufacturer, Mahindra, to develop a range of high-end EVs. With this roughly $500 million investment, not to mention some engineering help from Croatian supercar manufacturer, Rimac, Pininfarina aims to start high. The company will first introduce a hypercar, based on the PF0 Concept, within two years, then bring along a range of more affordable electric cars and SUVs. These will more directly take on the likes of Porsche Cayenne, Lamborghini Urus, and Tesla Model X. So yes, if you're in the business of building expensive cars, especially ones with a lot of batteries positioned inside them, Pininfarina's plans for the PF0 (that's a zero, not the letter "O," by the way) should make you sit up and take notice. "Automobili Pininfarina is a pioneering new business created to service the most discerning clients in the world," said Michael Perschke, CEO for Automobili Pininfarina. "Our product portfolio will launch with an innovative, zero-emissions hypercar that represents the progression we aim to make at the pinnacle of the luxury and sports car market." According to its press release, Pininfarina is currently presenting its "business and product plans to prospective retailer partners, clients and media in New York this week." After its tour of the Big Apple, look for Pininfarina to officially reveal the PF0 Concept during Monterey Car Week in August. Related Video: Design/Style Green Bugatti Lamborghini Porsche Tesla Electric Future Vehicles Luxury Performance Pebble Beach supercar mahindra hypercar Rimac