Tesla Roadster eligible for $38,000 clean energy rebate in Japan

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors, Green Daily, Japan

Tesla Roadster 2.5 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Less than four months ago, Tesla Motors entered the Japanese market by shipping a dozen or so right-hand drive Signature Series Roadsters across the pond. The base Roadster, which starts at a rather shocking price of 12.8 million yen ($151,500 U.S. at the current exchange rate) has now been approved for the Japanese government’s Clean Energy Cash Rebate program and is available at a deeply discounted price.

Qualifying for the cash rebate program means that the Roadster’s price will be slashed by an astounding 3.24 million yen ($38,000 U.S.), which certainly makes Tesla’s high-performance sports car more appealing. But, with an after-rebate price that remains at $113,500, the Roadster is still a far cry from what we would consider affordable. But hey, it’s that way here in the States, too. The Tesla Roadster joins the plug-in Prius hybrid as the only two standard-sized vehicles to qualify for Japan’s rebate program. Follow the jump for more on Tesla’s raging deal on its Roadster in Japan.

Gallery: 2011 Tesla Roadster 2.5