Whenever I test an electric car, the conversation with my neighbors eventually lands in the exact same place. Regardless of what badge sits on the nose of my test vehicle, people want to know how it compares to a Tesla Model 3 or a Model Y. Those two cars have become the default measuring stick for the entire EV industry. In Europe and North America, that muscle memory keeps Tesla showrooms relatively busy, but in China the car-buying public has no interest in history, and the October sales numbers out of Shanghai read like a reality check for an automaker that forgot how to update its fleet.
According to data released by the China Passenger Car Association, Tesla sold only 8,817 vehicles to domestic retail buyers in China during October.
