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.

 

[vickh]

Looks like they are keeping the glass roof. Pretty sweet for the $35k car!
Makes sense for simplifying production of course.

yep robots can place glass faster then metal welds

 

[Ulmo]

I tried my darnedest to make a draft table of the options as available today (2019-02-28) after the announcement:

ftp://ftp.sonic.net/pub/users/qm/tesla/model3table.numbers (in Mac format). Due to a forum bug, you have to manually put a colon after the ftp in the browser location.

Do whatever you want with it.

I also attached a PDF of it.

 

[Ludalicious]

I'm baffled by that comment. Who uses a low-slung sports sedan as a fleet service vehicle? With ladders on the roof, your aerodynamics are shot anyway and the car is awfully low and svelt for getting in/out with work boots and clothing on. Don't get me wrong, I love the Model 3 form factor, it just wouldn't be my first choice for a fleet service vehicle carrying ladders and the glass roof would be the least of my concerns.

The same reason why Tesla outfits their model 's as a service vehicle. Gut them and give her. No down time for oil changes and maintenance. Not to mention the vehicles being able to be fixed and serviced at the technician's home. I wouldn't exactly call a 4dr base model 3 a sports car. I wouldnt even consider my P100D a sports car. It's got too many doors.

I know numerous other companies that were going to gut these vehicles and use them as service cars. Allot harder now with glass roofs. Very disappointed.

 

[StealthP3D]

The same reason why Tesla outfits their model 's as a service vehicle. Gut them and give her. No down time for oil changes and maintenance. Not to mention the vehicles being able to be fixed and serviced at the technician's home. I wouldn't exactly call a 4dr base model 3 a sports car. I wouldnt even consider my P100D a sports car. It's got too many doors.

I know numerous other companies that were going to gut these vehicles and use them as service cars. Allot harder now with glass roofs. Very disappointed.

I called it a "sports sedan" not a "sports car". And it's definitely a sports sedan. If it's not, I don't know what is.

Yeah, the Model S is a much better service vehicle with its overall roominess and bigger trunk.

 

[sreams]

I don't see why the plus version was needed, the gap is not that big. Nonetheless, it shows some confidence in manufacturing.

My guess... I think Tesla found out they were getting 240 miles out of the standard pack. So they can offer a software unlock and a few desirable interior features for $2K more. A lot of people will jump on this, and it will help profits.

 

[sreams]

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.

Glass half full perspective: You no longer have to pay $5K just to get TACC and Autosteer.

 

[ForeverFree]

Have you ever learned anything from any car salesperson ever?

Good point. And that's true of (most) Tesla store folks, as well.

BTW, like the XC ski picture. Is that Mammoth Mountain in the background?

 

[DanCar]

yep robots can place glass faster then metal welds

It makes the interior more accessible for robots and the glass roof is added after interior robot work is done.

 

[Tiger]

I don't need a discount to buy a Tesla. I just need

• a service center within 2 hours from home,
  
• and either superchargers every 100 miles in our region or a 400-600 mile range.

 

[engr22]

I disagree
Was looking to add a couple of these as fleet service vehicles. Cant due that due to the roof. Not ideal to carry multiple ladders on glass roofs. Would be an expensive fix

GM has an option on the Bolt where they deliver it without back seats just for fleet use. Something tells me it's going go be a long time until Tesla starts caring about fleets.

 

[justaute]

I'm just saying that a dysfunctional company is not capable of producing a car as astounding as the Model 3 in so many key areas (safety, efficiency, performance, reliability, aesthetics and convenience). Not everyone that goes to work for Tesla is up to the job and the fact that some quit is something the short-sellers try to capitalize on by doing everything in their power to try to bring them down. They are not rooting for the newest and most innovative American car company ever, they do not sit on the sidelines to see what will happen, they actively populate Internet forums and misrepresent the quality, reliability and safety of their cars in their shameful attempt to dissuade new buyers. This is not a new thing, it's been going on for a decade or more. I'll be the first to admit that Tesla has experienced some serious growing pains but when a company is growing at the rate Tesla has over the last couple of years, there are bound to be growth pains.



You are blaming a price reduction on the company being "dysfunctional". I see the price reduction as a necessary and important part of their mission to bring sustainable transportation to the world. A dysfunctional company would have been too paralyzed to react to market conditions. I don't agree that you can blame a timely price drop on dysfunction (just because it wasn't timely for YOU). That shows good acumen, not dysfunction.

Now this comment I like much better. Although I disagree with your vantage point, certainly appreciated the thoughtfulness of it.

 

[AviP]

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.

Nope, this is what happens when you have trigger happy customers. I was a line waiter and I'm still waiting for the elusive SR AWD that I predicted would appear in 2020. Looks like my 2 year old prediction will hold true.

 

[justaute]

Nope, this is what happens when you have trigger happy customers. I was a line waiter and I'm still waiting for the elusive SR AWD that I predicted would appear in 2020. Looks like my 2 year old prediction will hold true.

A lot of people waited almost 3 years and you call them trigger happy? Haha

 

[S'toon]

Is there a thread collecting statements by people saying there will never be a $35K Model 3, and gloating that they were wrong?

 

[dsvick]

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?

With almost half a million reservations from people who had never seen it or had only viewed it online, I'd say there are plenty of people that will have no problem with that.

Right, but once that 'early adopter' group is tapped out... how do normal people feel about taking this plunge, without a human face to guide them? I'm not denying that there are a bunch of early adopters. What I'm saying is that they are like the marines. Few and proud.

In almost every survey I've ever seen on the subject buying a car and dealing with car salesmen is one of the least liked experiences by everyone. I think the only group car sales people beat out were dentists. I don't anticipate there being any shortage of people willing to forgo them. I think the biggest sticking point will be lack of test drives - even with the 7 day/1,000 mile return policy there will still be a lot of hassle involved.

...when technology gets in the hands of newbies, are they going to start with a lot of clues, or are they going to need some salespeople holding their hands. Look around this site. Majority of the people are in technical fields, pilots, mathematicians, etc. Try selling this to anybody over 50 who doesn't have a technical degree, or can't put up with a 'taper'. I'll wager, that it is the teaming masses where sales people have the biggest impact -- not with the well-educated.

I'd be willing to bet that the majority of people who have questions post sale don't go back to the sales person, they go to the internet and forums like this. How many threads have seen where the answer is RTFM? And for those that do back to the sales person, usually it'll be a phone call which can be handled centrally and doesn't require a local presence.

 

[mspohr]

Good point. And that's true of (most) Tesla store folks, as well.

BTW, like the XC ski picture. Is that Mammoth Mountain in the background?

Actually, it's Tioga Pass going into Yosemite

 

[Waiting43]

In almost every survey I've ever seen on the subject buying a car and dealing with car salesmen is one of the least liked experiences by everyone. I think the only group car sales people beat out were dentists. I don't anticipate there being any shortage of people willing to forgo them. I think the biggest sticking point will be lack of test drives - even with the 7 day/1,000 mile return policy there will still be a lot of hassle involved.

In fact, wealthy people never ever go to car dealerships. They hire people to go for them and to deal with the sales people. When the service you "offer" is so universally hated that your most valuable customers will pay people just to avoid dealing with you... you know you're ripe for disruption.

 

[gobble]

I found this forum today after reading about a $35,000 model S. Is this real that I can order a car over the internet today and they'll make and deliver it in 2 weeks? Seems impossible and sorry I don't trust much that Tesla has to say.

I've owned 3 Chevy Volts and the model 3 is interesting.

How can they factor "gas savings" into their advertised price of the car?

 

[gobble]

And being a non-Tesla owner I'd have a real hard time ordering a car without seeing it first. How do you decide on things like interior options without sitting in one? Where would I get it serviced? I'd be more comfortable having someone tell me about all those details.

 

[Waiting43]

I found this forum today after reading about a $35,000 model S. Is this real that I can order a car over the internet today and they'll make and deliver it in 2 weeks?

Definitely not. There's no 35K model S, that's the model 3. Also, if you order today, you get priority if you have a prior reservation. With an "early number" reservation, you might get your car in 2-4 weeks, but with no reservation you've got a whole lot of people ahead of you in line.