The cars were never picked up by their buyer
Three brand-new Teslas that were stored in shipping containers on a Chinese dock since 2010 are set to be sold for a record amount, Fox News reported. Notably, the 2010 Tesla Roadsters were recently discovered in shipping containers at a port in Quingdao, China. The Roadster was Tesla’s first model, and it was built between 2008 and 2012.
13 years back, the cars were ordered by a customer in China who never picked them up. Since then, they have been sitting in storage on the dock. There are two Sports models in red and orange and an orange Base model.
Phoenix-based Tesla specialist Gruber Motor Company is now handling their sale and accepting bids.
”So, what if you could go back in time, Tesla time that is, and buy a brand new Roadster from Tesla? Would you do it? Here is your chance, since a time capsule has just been opened. In 2010, a customer in China bought three brand new US-spec LHD Roadsters from Tesla. They got shipped to a dock in China but were abandoned by the buyer. They have been sitting in sea containers, at a port, since 2010, untouched, accruing storage charges,” the company wrote on its website.
Though their batteries no longer work from not having been used or charged for so long, the cars are otherwise in their original factory condition, with some of their protective wrapping still in place. Each Roadster has unopened boxes in the trunk and a large box external to the car.
The Gruber Motor Company has put a bid of $2 million for all three cars and has extended the deadline for higher offers. If the sale goes through, that would put a value of $666,666 on each of the cars.
”The Roadsters are being relocated into new sea containers over the next few days, in preparation for shipping either direct to the successful bidder, or to Dubai, which is a free zone, without the constraints for viewing permits required for prospective buyers wishing to examine the Roadsters,” the company said.
In case a sale does not occur in China, the cars are going to be shipped to the company for further examination until an acceptable offer is made.