Model 3 external dimensions and comparison data...

[daniel]

Did your '89 Civic fit three adults in back seat in a way they could live with for an hour and a half drive. I'm hoping to be able to do that in the 3.

Maybe not to be comfortable for a 90-minute drive. But I live alone. I rarely have a passenger with me in the car. I do not need or want a car that seats five people comfortably on a long road trip. If I needed that, I'd have gotten a Model S.

My old '89 Civic wagon had all the space I ever needed for me and all the people and/or stuff I ever needed to carry. I once took a long road trip (two days, each way) with two passengers, in addition to myself, and our luggage which included camping gear. I'm disappointed that the Model 3 will have 50% more space than I'll ever possibly be able to use, and will be both longer and wider, making it more awkward to drive. My Prius is already bigger than I like. And I only use it for my annual hiking trip to Canada.

What I really, really want is a Tesla the size of that old '89 Civic.

But I want the added safety features of the Model 3.

I'll see how I feel after I've taken a test drive.

 

[wdolson]

Damn, that thing is HUGE! That looks like about half a foot longer and wider than my 2004 Prius, and that car is already much bigger than I need. My old 1989 Honda Civic was about the perfect size. What's with the inflation in car sizes? Are Americans just so goddamn fat now that that cars have to be wider than the driving lanes on streets for them to fit inside???

It's going to be rough adjusting from driving my Roadster to the Model 3. Probably not a deal breaker, but I sure wish they'd been a bit more reasonable about it. A smaller car would probably have been a bit less expensive for the masses as well.

Americans have always liked big cars. In the 50s-mid 70s the only people who didn't drive full sized cars were usually poor. The Big 3 made their full sized cars, then they made smaller, junky cars for the untermenschen. That's why they lost so much market segment to the Japanese when the oil crisis hit. The Japanese were making smaller cars that were just as appealing as full sized cars.

When oil is cheap, Americans go back to larger vehicles. Instead of large cars, they went with truck-like vehicles. The compact market had to get bigger so people in those cars didn't feel completely dwarfed by the trucks around them.

Parking spots are usually defined by 9x18 ft minimum for a regular space, and 8x16 ft minimum for a compact parking space. Most market segment "compacts" today will still fit in a compact space.

The EPA standard actually is the one that makes the least sense in this context. A Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe is an EPA "compact". This car is 221" L x 78" W x 62" H and definitely will not fit in a compact space (won't even fit in some regular spaces without sticking out a few inches).

2017 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe

The EPA measure of how cars fit into various classes needs an overhaul. Most people think in terms of a car's footprint, not interior volume when shopping for a car. Most "mid-sized" cars today are classified as large cars because of the interior volume. In many cases car makers have optimized interior volume at the cost of cargo space. Some "large" cars today have tiny trunks.

 

[Trips]

View attachment 226053

So I got these numbers from Model 3's Wikipedia page and drew these measurements for the Model 3, also I created a table where we can compare the external dimensions of several Sedans both mid-size and big ones to Model 3 including the wheelbase, if interested you can view the table here: Tesla Model 3 Exterior Dimensions Comparison - Data & Analysis

Model 3's long wheelbase and more width will actually enable it for a battery bigger than 75 kWh?

Please Let me know your thoughts !

I am going to go with 184.8

 

[T34ME]

I park my Prius in compact car only parking spots

I have a Prius and I avoid compact spaces. I HATE DOOR DINGS! I prefer to park way out in left field and walk to the store. I need the exercise anyway.

 

[JeffK]

I have a Prius and I avoid compact spaces. I HATE DOOR DINGS! I prefer to park way out in left field and walk to the store. I need the exercise anyway.

I'll do that with the Model 3, I lived in kind of a ghetto area for awhile, so the Prius got beat up pretty fast in my old apt complex. Nobody cared about anyone but themselves.

 

[hoang51]

I am going to go with 184.8

Just in case if anybody missed the 184.8" in length, see here: Tesla says Model 3 will have fewer than 100 configurations to Model S’ more than 1,500

Time to update the measurements according to official release of information from Tesla and not based on the Wikipedia.

 

[wdolson]

I have a Prius and I avoid compact spaces. I HATE DOOR DINGS! I prefer to park way out in left field and walk to the store. I need the exercise anyway.

If you're going to be using superchargers much, it's a good habit to have. Superchargers are usually in the least used part of parking lots.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

If you're going to be using superchargers much, it's a good habit to have. Superchargers are usually in the least used part of parking lots.

That is actually not always true. A lot of people on TMC seem to complain Superchargers are too close to the entrances and thus get ICEd quite a bit... the theory goes this is because wiring needed electricity further away from the buildings would be too expensive...

 

[R.S]

Just in case if anybody missed the 184.8" in length, see here: Tesla says Model 3 will have fewer than 100 configurations to Model S’ more than 1,500

Time to update the measurements according to official release of information from Tesla and not based on the Wikipedia.

To be honest, the wikipedia estimations were really accurate. A 0.3% error is impressive!

To everyone wondering how big the Model 3 will be and if it will fit their garage, take a spin in the new C-Class. The length of both these cars will be nearly identical, but the 3 will probably be quite a bit wider. So if width is a concern, you might have a problem.

 

[wdolson]

That is actually not always true. A lot of people on TMC seem to complain Superchargers are too close to the entrances and thus get ICEd quite a bit... the theory goes this is because wiring needed electricity further away from the buildings would be too expensive...

It's probably not universal, but the only supercharger I've been to that was anywhere close to desirable parking was the Springfield, OR and Mt Shasta, CA superchargers, both of which are at hotels. I've only been to 11 total. Some weren't too far a walk to the entrance of something, but that was only because they were in a smallish parking lot. The supercharger was still on the edge of the lot.

I'm sure the siting of the transformer puts the supercharger in a more desirable spot for ICE in some places.

 

[N5329K]

I have a Prius and I avoid compact spaces. I HATE DOOR DINGS! I prefer to park way out in left field and walk to the store. I need the exercise anyway.

Besides, there's always plenty of empty spots (even at Trader Joe's) if a little walking is required. Double win.
Robin

 

[JeffK]

Besides, there's always plenty of empty spots (even at Trader Joe's) if a little walking is required. Double win.
Robin

If it's a really douchey car sometimes I'll be that A-hole who parks a junker right next to it while there are still plenty of empty spaces around, just to make them freak out a little when they return to their car.

 

[T34ME]

Besides, there's always plenty of empty spots (even at Trader Joe's) if a little walking is required. Double win.
Robin

I have to park way over by the EZ Rider Tattoo Parlor to find any empty spaces near the Trader Joe's where we shop (Redlands)! Maybe I should go in and have a tattoo of Elon emblazoned on my butt while the DW shops at TJ.

 

[smak]

That is actually not always true. A lot of people on TMC seem to complain Superchargers are too close to the entrances and thus get ICEd quite a bit... the theory goes this is because wiring needed electricity further away from the buildings would be too expensive...

I think charging stations in general are closest to the building.

Las Vegas for example, all the casino's I've charged at are basically 5 feet from the entrance.

It's actually quite a nice perk.

 

[BluestarE3]

I think charging stations in general are closest to the building.

Las Vegas for example, all the casino's I've charged at are basically 5 feet from the entrance.

It's actually quite a nice perk.

Which, unfortunately, is one reason EV charging spaces get ICEd... because, by necessity, they are located close to the building.

 

[X-Auto]

Just in case if anybody missed the 184.8" in length, see here: Tesla says Model 3 will have fewer than 100 configurations to Model S’ more than 1,500

Time to update the measurements according to official release of information from Tesla and not based on the Wikipedia.

Tables already updated !

 

[X-Auto]

To be honest, the wikipedia estimations were really accurate. A 0.3% error is impressive!

To everyone wondering how big the Model 3 will be and if it will fit their garage, take a spin in the new C-Class. The length of both these cars will be nearly identical, but the 3 will probably be quite a bit wider. So if width is a concern, you might have a problem.

Actually the Math was done by Motor Trend ! www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-model-3-photos-analysis/