Smaller, cheaper EVs may trump pricey Teslas

Amid high sales expectations, Tesla may be hoping to spark China's stagnant new-energy vehicle market, but experts believe the US carmaker won't be shift the industry into high gear.

"Although heavy smog is an issue in many major Chinese cities, and there is a market waiting for solutions, you can't count on Tesla to make an electric revolution happen," said Yang Yusheng, a batteries expert and an academician at Chinese Academy of Engineering. "An electric sedan is not for everyone, not to mention Tesla is a premium brand reserved for high-end customers," he added.

Yang spoke at a forum on electric vehicles held Sunday in Beijing.