Tesla is taking design submissions for its Chinese-made small electric car

Tesla is taking design submissions from Chinese car designers and amateur designers for its upcoming new small electric car.

Earlier this year, CEO Elon Musk said Tesla will design an electric car in China for the global market.

Musk said at the time:

I think something that would be super cool would be to — and so we’re gonna do it, we’re gonna try to do it — would be to create a China design and engineering center to actually design an original car in China for worldwide consumption. I think this will be very exciting. I think China has some of the best art in the world, and I think it’s something that would be appreciated on a worldwide basis. I think it should be done, and we’re gonna do it.

Later, Tesla officially announced this new design and engineering center in China and released the drawing pictured above.

Now Tesla made an announcement via its official WeChat account in China to invite car designers to submit designs for the new vehicle:

Back in Jan, @elonmusk talked abt creating a 🇨🇳 design center to design EVs for the global market. Now @Teslacn is openly asking designers & even nonpros to design a “China-style” EV & submit their works for job review. Tesla is expanding its footprints in the biggest auto market pic.twitter.com/hWQ06XVa5M

— Ray (@ray4tesla) June 15, 2020

Tesla is welcoming design submissions even from people who are “not car designers,” according to the post.

The only requirement to submit designs appears to be from China since Tesla wants the vehicle to be designed in China.

While it will be designed and produced in China, Tesla aims for the vehicle to be available globally.

Tesla nor Elon Musk offered a clear timeline for when the new electric car is going to reach production or be available for sale.

Electrek’s Take

It looks like Tesla is really moving forward with that project, which is exciting.

I don’t think we are going to see anything concrete coming out of that project for a while though since they are just now talking about taking design submissions.

Based on the early drawing Tesla released, it loooks like Tesla is looking to produce a vehicle on the smaller — maybe even a hatchback, which would be awesome.

I would love to see Tesla produce a smaller electric hatchback with ~200 miles of range for around $25,000 to $35,000 depending on the options.

That would be an incredible deal, but I am just dreaming right now. Obviously, Tesla is really early in this project.