Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk on Friday (Saturday, Australian time) unveiled the full specifications and pricing of the new Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle, revealing that the base model will have a range of 354km, while a pricier version would have a range of almost 500kms.
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“We finally have a great, affordable, electric car-that’s what this day means”, Musk said. The battery’s warranty is eight years and 100,000 miles. Every country has its own set of rules and regulations, which means that we effectively must build a different vehicle for different markets.
The Model 3 will start at $US35,000 for 220 miles of range, with a bigger battery version selling for $US44,000.
Musk added that Tesla has received a net number of more than half a million reservations from prospective buyers, who paid a $1,000 deposit on the new model. So, if you’re thinking about pre-ordering, get in sooner rather than later. The standard version is slated for delivery in late 2018 for $35,000, with a more premium version going for $44,000.
The Model 3 has always been part of Palo Alto, California-based Tesla’s plans. This is 2-4 times cheaper than the first two models of the Tesla Model S and the crossover Model X. It takes 30 minutes to accumulate 130 miles’ worth of charge when using one of Tesla’s Superchargers, and will take on roughly 30 miles every hour it’s charging from a home point.
Because the Model 3 is technically a smaller vehicle, Holzhausen said that a goal was to make the interior feel as big as possible. “We’re going to do everything possible to get you your cars as fast as possible”. Well, you’ll need to pay an additional $3,000 for the extra sensors necessary to make that happen. But the price can rapidly increase from there. For starters, black exterior paint is standard. Based on earlier information from the electric auto company, at one point over 300,000 people had signed up to get one. We expect United Kingdom cars to cost in the region of £35,000 – although this assumes the United Kingdom government will continue to offer a grant for private buyers of electric cars.
Potential customers could lose faith if Tesla doesn’t meet its aggressive production schedule, or if the cars have quality problems that strain Tesla’s small service network.
Created to be smaller, simpler and easier to assemble than its bigger sibling, the Model 3 is also priced to compete in the heart of the auto market. “I don’t know what to say but I really love this one”, an owner of an older model Tesla said. As the first rumors and photos of the Model 3 started to leak out, customers and fans started to obsess over the vehicle’s strangely sparse interior. Musk heaped praise on the Model 3 calling it “safer than a Volvo”. It’s made primarily of steel, not aluminum. There is no instrument panel; the odometer and other details normally there can all be found on a center screen. That should be good, not just for Tesla, but General Motors, Nissan and other automakers who sell electric cars. In fact, you can order one here. About 7 percent of reservation owners are current Tesla owners.
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Munster says Tesla will play a central role in “paradigm shifts” to electric and autonomous vehicles that could transform the sector.
