Nissan has cut the price of its recently launched Nissan Ariya in China, following a similar move from Toyota earlier this month.
Tesla’s price cuts at the beginning of this year have had a massive effect on competing automakers, and nowhere has that been seen better than in China. Tesla’s main competitor BYD saw EV reservations plummet following the price cuts, and demand for Tesla vehicles soared in the first month of the year. Now, Japanese automakers Nissan and Toyota have responded with equally aggressive price cuts in the country.
The Nissan Ariya was released in China late last year with a starting price that, at the time, fit perfectly between the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y. But that was no longer the case with Tesla’s recent price cut. Nissan has now slashed the price of the vehicle by 60,000 Chinese yuan ($8,740) across every trim level. The Nissan Ariya now starts at 224,800 yuan ($32,741).
Comparatively, Toyota’s new pricing is downright aggressive. When the Toyota BZ4X entered the Chinese market, it was priced firmly underneath the Tesla Model 3, starting just below 200,000 yuan ($29,129). But following Tesla’s move, Toyota cut the price of the BZ4X earlier this month by 30,000 yuan ($4,370), now starting at 169,800 yuan ($24,730).
However, despite the aggressive pricing from both Japanese automakers, neither has been able to make a sizable dent in the Chinese EV market, certainly not threatening the likes of Tesla or the dominant Chinese brand BYD.
Neither Nissan nor Toyota have made similar price cuts outside of China. In the United States, where the Nissan Ariya has only recently hit showroom floors, the vehicle starts at $43,190, roughly parallel to the Tesla Model 3, but does not currently qualify for federal incentives. As for the recently relaunched Toyota BZ4X, it starts at $42,000 and also does not apply for federal incentives.
As both Japanese automakers look to expand their EV market share in the U.S. and globally in the coming years, their price cuts in China could easily come to other markets. And if Tesla continues with its aggressive and continuous price cuts for the Model 3, these manufacturers may have no choice but to follow suit.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
