Tesla
is now selling a cheaper Model 3 with a 260-mile battery starting at $45,000, Rear-wheel drive only By Nick Statt
Tesla
has announced a new mid-range version of the Model 3, one that’s cheaper than
the long-range version that Tesla’s exclusively sold up until this point. It’s
still not the $35,000 base model that’s been delayed until 2019. But the new
mid-level option offers 260 miles of range and starts at $45,000.
The
new option, which CEO Elon Musk tweeted about this afternoon, is built with the same battery pack as
the 310-mile long-range Model 3, but uses fewer cells, which accounts for the
lower price and shorter range. Now, instead of a top range of 310 miles on a
single charge with a top speed of 145 mph and a 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, the
new model gets you 260 miles on a charge with a top speed of 125 mph and a 0-60
mph of 5.6 seconds.
Adding
advanced Autopilot features adds an additional $5,000, as is the case with
other Tesla models. Also, the dual-motor all-wheel drive option is now
restricted to the long range option, with the mid-range option getting rear-wheel
drive only.
“As
Model 3 production and sales continue to grow rapidly, we’ve achieved a
steady volume in manufacturing capacity, allowing us to diversify our product offering to even more
customers,” a spokesperson for Tesla said in a statement. “Our new mid-range
battery is being introduced this week in the US and Canada to better meet the
varying range needs of the many customers eager to own Model 3, and our
delivery estimate for customers who have ordered the Standard Battery is 4-6 months.”
That
means reservation holders who are waiting for the cheapest version of Tesla’s
first mass market car will still have to wait until at least February before
those Model 3s start to ship. They also won’t be eligible for the full $7,500
federal tax credit given
out to buyers of electric cars, because Tesla recently triggered a phase out of
the incentive after passing 200,000 vehicles sold in the US. Instead, the credit will dip to $3,750 starting on January 1st, 2019, and
drop again to $1,875 on July 1st of next year, before completely vanishing.
Comments
Electric car prices and driving
range are going in the right direction to expand their market beyond the
initial fad, status and federal tax credit buyers.
The Toyota Prius is still the best
value at $25,000 with 58 mpg and is affordable for middle income folks.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody
GA Tea Party Leader
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