BEIJING, July 5 Reuters Several stateowned firms in China39;s financial hub of Shanghai have recently purchased Tesla39;s bestselling Model Y as service cars, a local government statement said on Friday.

The purchase is an active response to the call for equal treatment of Chinese and foreign firms in government purchases, according to the investment promotion service centre of the Lingang Special Area, where Tesla39;s largest manufacturing hub is located.

A local media report on Thursday said Tesla cars had been made eligible for a Chinese local government purchase list.

Reporting by Zhang Yan, Qiaoyi Li and Sarah Wu; editing by Jason Neely

Source Reuters