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The $35 000 Tesla Model 3 is finally here!

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Yes, it is here.
Even though, as you can see from the screen grabs above (you can click on the top one) Tesla still use a misleading way of including “gas savings” as well as incentives to suggest an actual cost of the car.
Incentives are mostly disappearing, and they vary state to state anyway…
Still, at $35 000, this car has a 220 miles range. it is super fast and does include the glass roof.
Which is actually many steps above anything else for the price.
Since the Bolt starts at about $2000 more.

As you can see here, a Bolt Premier with an upgraded stereo and a couple of packages reaches almost $43 000. (It starts at around $37000, which is still more than the base Model3)
For less money ($40 000), you can get a Mid-range model 3 with a 264 miles range the Premium interior option.

I drove the Tesla Model 3 for just a few minutes a few weeks ago. And, while I really like the Volt, there is no doubt that the Model 3 is a superior car.
The Volt is more like an electric Honda Fit. While the Tesla is a few steps above.
Even though its interior is still not up to par with near-luxury models.

The $35 000 model will sure make many headlines. But to me, the $40 000 loaded mid-range one is the one to get.

Things are still not perfect though.
Tesla has a very, very limited choice of colors. And they are all expensive options (Between $1500 and $2500 except for black)
Interior is all black. Expcet for the $1000 option of “Black and white”, which looks a bit weird.
And the standard wheels are the super cheap looking black covers.
the more noraml lookng ones are also $1500 extra.
You will not be able to get AM or Sirius radio in the Tesla.
And no Apple Car Play or Android Auto. Everyhting is “Tesla”…

If you are OK with that, I think the newly “almost affordable” modle 3 is a fantastic buy now…

Conversation 7 comments

  1. With all the recent Tesla price drops I wonder if the early Model 3 buyers and those who bought before the tax credit was cut in half are feeling short changed. The whole benefit of buying early was wiped away in the matter of months.

  3. Great question about what buyers from late 2018 are feeling.

    I almost purchased the mid-range car late last year (260 mile range). Price at the time was $47.7k, with the 'proper' wheels. So now – the 220 mile car would be $36.5k. That's $9k for an additional 40 miles. I would be pretty upset.

    I do wonder as to whether Tesla was 'out of orders' at the $40k+ level. Musk did advise that Tesla will not be making a profit in Q1…..

    Going to be a very interesting year for Tesla…

  5. Re; Anon 4:01:
    "…I wonder if the early Model 3 buyers and those who bought before the tax credit was cut in half are feeling short changed."

    I own a model S, and the way my car is configured is around $10k cheaper now. I was annoyed at first, but I also realize that this is a tech company first and a car company second. This tech is changing fast, which is one reason that I leased my car back in 2017. It's also worth noting that every other car company change their prices and offer a variety of incentives constantly, with no news coverage. With many $100k vehicles, it's not unusual to come across incentives that amount to up to $15k.

  6. Vince pop off the cheap looking aero covers and you have decent looking alloy wheels hidden under them. Just missing the center caps which cost $50 from Tesla. So yes you get standard alloy wheels with all models.

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