With the promised right-hand drive version of the Tesla Model S nowhere near in sight, Business Insider tells us that when it does finally arrive in the UK, it will cost upward of £49,900 with the £5,000 government grant factored in.

That’s close to $80,000 and it makes the electric sedan 26 percent more expensive than in the US, where the same 60 kWh battery pack model costs from $63,570 federal tax credit included.

As was the case with the Model S’ German, Belgian and Dutch pricing schemes, the higher numbers are associated with the money thrown towards bringing the cars to their respective markets, making them legal and also paying the Value Added Tax (VAT).

In China, where the company is supposedly being officially represented, all you can do now is try the grey market and pay a preposterous amount.

Back in the UK, Tesla already have one of their trademark self-owned stores up and running in London, but it now only features left-hand drive demo cars. Their Supercharger network is not up yet, but it should become (at least in part) operational by the end of 2014, according to some earlier reports.

By Andrei Nedelea

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