Tesla Model 3 starts at 93-mile range in Canada to qualify for $5K incentive
The software-limited variant sells for $44,999, just under the government's $45,000 cap.
Tesla has launched an unexpected new Model 3 variant in Canada with a software-limited range of just 93 miles.
The Canadian government limits availability of its $5,000 CAD ($3,732 USD) EV rebate to vehicles that have a starting price of less than $45,000 CAD ($33,584 CAD).
To comply with the EV rebate regulations, Tesla secretly launched the range-limited variant as an "off menu" item that does not appear on its website, according to Electrek.
Notably, the move appears to take advantage of a loophole that allows the incentive to be applied to higher-spec versions of the same car. In effect, selling a range-limited variant allows all buyers to qualify for the $5,000 incentive, even if they are buying the Standard Range Plus edition that starts at $53,700 and has a range of 240 miles.