Mid range battery available now?

[Qzic]

Interesting... I remember it being $54K.

I guess the AWD upgrade has changed a number of times from $5K to $4K to $6K... now back to $5K

Yep, quite a few AWD price changes. You even missed one, it went from $4k to $5k before going up to $6k. $6k was always crazy as AWD as an option on the S and X was $5k.

The only reason they upped to $6k (my theory) is to push demand to the non-AWD version to more efficiently use the production lines. When that didn't work they created the MR non-AWD to further increase demand for non-AWD models.

 

[Thunder7ga]

Great and smart marketing move to see if some of the SR line waiters want to make a move now to get the full tax credit.

 

[SMAlset]

....This is all really smart of Tesla, and an interesting way to stimulate demand as 12/31 approaches. The next interesting wave of pricing/feature moves will happen as we look ahead into Q1 deliveries. I expected Tesla to pull some demand levers just prior to Sept 30, so I was off by a few weeks, and in no way did I expect a MR to appear out of thin air. No leaks about it either, which is shocking!

Must have been the Confidentiality Agreements everyone had to sign LOL and fear of losing their jobs. Doubt they want to work for Amazon plus lose stock benefits at Tesla. They've all worked so hard to make this company's products something to be proud of.

 

[Glamisduner]

As for those saying their model ordered is now a bit less expensive, you always can keep waiting. Elon has said as they ramp up production they are sure the price can come down. How long do you want to wait is the question instead of driving a Model 3 now? Why do people always think in terms of screwed or ripped off? I'll call it the Walmart/Amazon effect where if you don't get something at a rock bottom price, you somehow feel cheated. Sad way to go through life especially when you are already driving a fabulous, like-no-other car.

I'd feel different but I feel like delivery isn't complete until my "Outstanding Work to be Completed" is also complete. I mean that's part of the agreement when I accepted delivery right? It's not like I had the car for months and now the price changed. I mean 26 minutes ago I passed the 48 hour return window

 

[SMAlset]

My car went in for some paint and fitment due bill issues after having it a week or so. I set up the appointment fairly quickly. Believe from the call we got today it's ready. I still plan to take mine to a detailer for PPF and ceramic pro hopefully at the end of the month so don't expect to get back until early November. It's just what it is.

 

[TT97]

Nope, we LR RWD owners now have the longest range Model 3. My only regret is I really wanted white interiors, and now they've made white interiors available to MR RWD lol. But I'm very happy with my extra range, range anxiety was my #1 issue even above white interiors.

I like the idea of having a limited run LR RWD, but I have a feeling the medium range car is just a short term solution. Once they get costs down, I think Tesla will come out with the SR model and discontinue the MR. Once (and if) that happens, they will likely reintroduce the LR RWD.

As far as a different color interior, my plan is to reskin the seats at Custom Leather Auto Interiors & Leather Seats | Katzkin in a few years. They have a ton of color options and can also reupholster the interior trims to match.

 

[Glamisduner]

I like the idea of having a limited run LR RWD, but I have a feeling the medium range car is just a short term solution. Once they get costs down, I think Tesla will come out with the SR model and discontinue the MR. Once (and if) that happens, they will likely reintroduce the LR RWD.

As far as a different color interior, my plan is to reskin the seats at Custom Leather Auto Interiors & Leather Seats | Katzkin in a few years. They have a ton of color options and can also reupholster the interior trims to match.

I think your right. They will probably bring back the RWD LR model 3, but you never know. For now they are still focusing on ramping production, so try to get a new part of the market they probably had to cut out the RWD which may also be the least profitable of the 3 cars. RWD model S is not a thing anymore though so we may never see it come back.

 

[EvanLin]

Spec is a shame. SR was promised 130mph/5.6s.
Now MR is 125mph/5.6s. SR is possibly less or the same.

 

[ℬête Noire]

Once they get costs down, I think Tesla will come out with the SR model and discontinue the MR. Once (and if) that happens, they will likely reintroduce the LR RWD.

Or they keep the MR when they bring the LR back. They currently offer three battery tiers on the S and the X lines. "Three choices" to minimize the number of customers choosing the cheapest choice is a fairly classic marketing pattern.
Maybe they continue to force bundling of AWD with the LR but I'd be very unsurprised once they get Gigafactory 1 battery ramp up enough they reintroduce it.

 

[Glamisduner]

Or they keep the MR when they bring the LR back. They currently offer three battery tiers on the S and the X lines. "Three choices" to minimize the number of customers choosing the cheapest choice is a fairly classic marketing pattern.

There is only 2 Battery tiers.

 

[ord3r]

There is only 2 Battery tiers.

But there are three purchase tiers now,

MR RWD -> LR AWD -> P AWD.

I think Bete was predicting they will break it down by battery tiers again instead of the current bundles once they have three batteries.

Who knows, may be just as likely they kill the MR once SR comes out and it is a unicorn battery.

 

[Gavyne]

Spec is a shame. SR was promised 130mph/5.6s.
Now MR is 125mph/5.6s. SR is possibly less or the same.

that's not a shame, that's still industry leading at that price range. That's better performance than LEAF and Bolt, which both are trying to sell their new upcoming longer range models at $37k - $44k.

MR Model 3 now has just tossed a wrench into the mix. Why chose the other options when you could have the Model 3 for $45k? Tesla is smart and this is well timed.

 

[garrett5688]

Used market for model 3 is going to be insanely confusing in the coming years if they keep this stuff up.

 

[ℬête Noire]

There is only 2 Battery tiers.

Well three tiers w/two batteries at the moment. Yeah, they do dance around battery sizes up to three and at the moment back. I think they actually had a window in there with four? That's reaching back into what is more analogous to what they are trying to cover here, down towards a lot more price sensitive areas.

 

[ℬête Noire]

Used market for model 3 is going to be insanely confusing in the coming years if they keep this stuff up.

Have you ever tried to figure out WTH is going on with a used Model S and that market? That's some deeeeep lore territory there. There's cray unicorns all over the place in that.

 

[SageBrush]

This is interesting news with multiple possible angles. I wrote last week that the SR is borderline as a general purpose car so I am happy to see this range offered, but I doubt that was Tesla's motivation.

From Tesla's standpoint I have two guesses:

1. Tesla may be responding to the 1/1/19 federal tax credit reduction
2. Battery cell production is a bottle-neck and this lets them increase production for now

 

[PhatCat]

I just refreshed my design page and the MR is now showing as 48,000 and the LR/AWD is showing as 57,000. Yikes! Hope this is a glitch while they are updating the site.


Edit: Just noticed it was retaining color selections from a previous edit session.

 

[PoitNarf]

Used market for model 3 is going to be insanely confusing in the coming years if they keep this stuff up.

Oh that’s nothing. My wife wants a Jeep Grand Cherokee for her next car. Do you have any idea how many different trim levels there are for those?

 

[ℬête Noire]

Battery cell production is a bottle-neck and this lets them increase production for now

And/or potentially remove some of the bottleneck that's slowing their Powerwall business (which is known to be supply limited because of cell production limits).

It's pretty substantial, too. If 260mi is an "actual" rather than sandbagged range then the pack likely requires >20% less cells (more like 22%), which means for every 4th car they'll have more than enough cells for a 5th.

 

[kbecks13]

Ah, you're probably right. So just the $500 then. Will double check but this makes more sense. Thanks!

Ahh so it IS only the white being $500 less (which i said on page 5, @Vitold you can remove your "disagree" now )