Standard Range Model 3 Now Available for $35,000

The wait is over – Tesla is now selling a $35,000 all-electric sedan.

The announcement was teased by Elon Musk is recent days and Tesla made the budget Model 3 available for order Thursday afternoon.

The Standard Range base model will start at $35,000, travel 220 miles on a single charge, hit a top speed of 130 mph and go from 0 to 60mph in 5.6 seconds.

Standard Interior includes:



Manual seat and steering adjustment

Cloth seats and base trim

Basic audio

Standard maps and navigation

Center console with storage and 4 USB ports



A version called “Standard Range Plus” is $37,000 with 240 miles of range, a top speed of 140mph, and a 0 to 60 mph time of 5.3 seconds.

Standard Range Plus also give the option for a “Partial Premium Interior” that includes:



12-way power adjustable heated front seats

Premium seat material and trim

Upgraded audio – immersive sound

Standard maps & navigation

LED fog lamps

Center console with storage, 4 USB ports and docking for 2 smartphones



Tesla also announced that it is shifting sales worldwide to online only. “You can now buy a Tesla in North America via your phone in about 1 minute, and that capability will soon be extended worldwide,” the company said in a blog post.

Tesla said it wants to make it easier to try out and return a Tesla. Consumers can now return a car within seven days or 1,000 miles for a full refund.

“Quite literally, you could buy a Tesla, drive several hundred miles for a weekend road trip with friends and then return it for free,” the post said.

Shifting all sales online, combined with other ongoing cost efficiencies, will enable Tesla to lower all vehicle prices by about 6% on average, allowing the company to achieve the $35,000 Model 3 price point earlier than expected.

“Over the next few months, we will be winding down many of our stores, with a small number of stores in high-traffic locations remaining as galleries, showcases and Tesla information centers,” the post said. “The important thing for customers in the United States to understand is that, with online sales, anyone in any state can quickly and easily buy a Tesla.”

Tesla also announced a number of firmware upgrades for both new and existing customers. The upgrades will increase the range of the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive Model 3 to 325 miles, increase the top speed of Model 3 Performance to 162 mph, and add an average of approximately 5% peak power to all Model 3 vehicles.

 

[justaute]

Huh? Other car makers regularly give all sorts of price breaks of $1000 to $5000 based on who knows what.
Why can't Tesla do this as well?

Tesla sure can. I am also allowed to form an opinion. Tesla has a different sales model, so I don't think it's apples-to-apples comparison. YMMV

 

[jboy210]

Not that I had any loyalty to Tesla in the first place, but certainly now won't develop any for sure. It's a sunk cost to me.

Every bought a computer. If you buy every 5 years it is a lot more power and storage for a lot less money. So it will be with EVs.

 

[justaute]

Every bought a computer. If you buy every 5 years it is a lot more power and storage for a lot less money. So it will be with EVs.

Really? That's such a mind-bending observation. Not sure anyone is talking about 5 years here. It's 2 months, for a purportedly premium product. There's really no point in debating here. Such is life.

 

[jboy210]

Really? That's such a mind-bending observation. Not sure anyone is talking about 5 years here. It's 2 months, for a purportedly premium product. There's really no point in debating here. Such is life.

Doesn't have to be 5 years. Apple MacBook Pros just upgraded their graphics processors 4 months after the new units were shipped.

Tesla moves at Silicon Valley paces and style. Constant improvement. I got caught with this on my Model X. The $5,000 upgrade pack became standard equipment and they raise the price $3,000. $2,000 net loss. Just the way it is. But at least my car as MCU 2.5 so supports traffic cameras. Cars made 2 months before mine do not have that hardware so no webcams, sentry mode,....

 

[Uncle Paul]

Elon wants to sell millions of EVs every year. Wants to have a buyer for every car he can produce. That has always been his stated goal.

Henry Ford did the same thing, and He was the one that "Put the World on wheels"

As more and more people are able to afford one of his cars, fewer and fewer will want to buy legacy gassers, he will convert the world away from polluting ICE.

He is on his way to setting up 20 or so GigaFactorys, where batteries, cars and solar will be produced in his goal to get us off dangerous fuels and on to "Running on Sunshine"

It is nice to know that your next Tesla will be better and less expensive.

 

[Slumpey326]

Yup mid range I paid in late December is now exactly $5k than what I paid in just a two month time span. Don’t regret at all. Still got the full tax credit so in the end, really the difference is a little over $1k.

 

[justaute]

Doesn't have to be 5 years. Apple MacBook Pros just upgraded their graphics processors 4 months after the new units were shipped.

Tesla moves at Silicon Valley paces and style. Constant improvement. I got caught with this on my Model X. The $5,000 upgrade pack became standard equipment and they raise the price $3,000. $2,000 net loss. Just the way it is. But at least my car as MCU 2.5 so supports traffic cameras. Cars made 2 months before mine do not have that hardware so no webcams, sentry mode,....

That's a more fair comparison. Still like my TM3, even more than my bimmer.

 

[pipestem]

I'm wondering how many people feel comfortable ordering something so durable as a car on the web, without any sales staff to talk to... at all? More importantly, if this is later proven to be a mistake, it may be hard to 'get back' the institutional knowledge that is lost when the sales staff are told to hit the road. It really strikes me as being penny wise and pound foolish.

me. twice.

 

[Uncle Paul]

I believe that Tesla now has 3 grades of Autopilot.
Base: Autopilot with auto steer, cruise control, basic GPS/routing and safety emergency slow down.
EAP: Like all above, plus lane changing, on/off ramps, Traffic aware cruise control, traffic alerts/congestion, quickest lane selection etc.
FSD: All the new stuff like traffic lights, traffic signals, drop you off and park, then pick you back up, full self parking and generally fully autonomous self driving (over time, with several OTA updates)

Next thing we will hear about will be the faster computer and faster V3 charging systems.

 

[pipestem]

Yup mid range I paid in late December is now exactly $5k less than what I paid in just a two month time span. Don’t regret at all. Still got the full tax credit so in the end, really the difference is a little over $1k.

Same. Especially since I get that firmware update and I get the tax credit this year rather than waiting.

Also, KUDOS to Tesla for bringing this home. I don't see why the plus version was needed, the gap is not that big. Nonetheless, it shows some confidence in manufacturing.

 

[jboy210]

That's a more fair comparison. Still like my TM3, even more than my bimmer.

Oh yes. When I drive my X3 it is like going back to the stone age, and we ordered every option available in 2016. Teslas are just so smooth and so fast!

 

[jboy210]

I believe that Tesla now has 3 grades of Autopilot.
Base: Autopilot with auto steer, cruise control, basic GPS/routing and safety emergency slow down.
EAP: Like all above, plus lane changing, on/off ramps, Traffic aware cruise control, traffic alerts/congestion, quickest lane selection etc.
FSD: All the new stuff like traffic lights, traffic signals, drop you off and park, then pick you back up, full self parking and generally fully autonomous self driving (over time, with several OTA updates)

Next thing we will hear about will be the faster computer and faster V3 charging systems.

And elimination of 12 volt battery and systems.

 

[Elmexiken]

So, had I waited a couple of months, the net price reduction for my AWD would be $2,250 -- basically a new set of nice wheels. Sigh...

This is what happens when you have a dysfunctional company.

Same exact situation here. Sucks.

 

[Magellan55]

I did not buy EAP and glad I decided to wait as its now a 3K option that I hope will trickle down to all owners and rebate those who paid $5-7K.

The EAP offered for $5K before gave you Summon, auto-park, and NoA. The $3K Autopilot offered now does none of those things - basically it's TACC+autosteer. You need to fork over $8K to get autopilot+FSD to get them.

 

[FrankViggiano]

I'm wondering how many people feel comfortable ordering something so durable as a car on the web, without any sales staff to talk to... at all? More importantly, if this is later proven to be a mistake, it may be hard to 'get back' the institutional knowledge that is lost when the sales staff are told to hit the road. It really strikes me as being penny wise and pound foolish.

 

[Dre78]

Not the Elephant in the Room I hoped for as most everyone knew 35k model was coming.

Time to figure out 1) how much it'll cost for me to add FSD to EAP Model 3, and 2) keep saving to buy FSD.

 

[FrankViggiano]

I bought my Model 3 online and it was the best car buying experience I have had (I am 61 years old and have bought quite a few new cars in my life). I tend to heavily research my car purchases in advance of going to the dealer and have generally found that the car sales people have less technical knowledge about the car than I do. I agree that it is nice to drive the car, but in this case I drove a friend's Model 3. But I especially enjoyed not having to sit in a small room for hours while the salesman goes back to the "boss" to see if he can get me a better price. Clearly traditional automakers in the US have had a very inefficient sales process for many years which was ripe for improvement and disruption.

 

[Magellan55]

So how do these cars get delivered without a sales location? Delivery specialists will work out of the already overcrowded service centers? It all goes to direct home delivery? That sounds more expensive, especially at end-of-quarter rush.

 

[StealthP3D]

So, had I waited a couple of months, the net price reduction for my AWD would be $2,250 -- basically a new set of nice wheels. Sigh...

This is what happens when you have a dysfunctional company.

This is what you think when you are a dysfunctional buyer.

Tesla is far from a dysfunctional company. Unless you think creating a car as amazing as the Model 3 is as simple as taking a legacy car and installing an electric motor, some batteries and an iPad and calling it a day.

 

[Jack007]

Nobody thought he could do it anytime soon.
There he goes again!