Oliver Haslam·

10 Things You Need To Know About Tesla Model 3

Here’s everything you need to know about the all new Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle, all in one place right here.

Tesla does appear to be delivering on its aim to get Model 3 electric cars into the hands of buyers as soon as possible, and founder Elon Musk took to the stage yesterday to give us our first real details of what the most important car of a generation will be, will bring to the table and importantly, what it will cost. With so many people having already placed deposits for a car they knew little about, the big unveiling was an important one, and one of which much was expected. The Model 3 does not disappoint.

When Elon Musk first announced that the Model 3 would be the company’s first entry into the car market that was neither a supercar nor a costly, if impressive SUV, everyone wondered just how Tesla would achieve it. Now we know, and anyone worrying that the Model 3 would just be a budget(ish) Model S need not have worried. This thing is a Tesla in its own right. There have been many, many words already written about the Model 3 and what it could mean for the car industry, but with the dust starting to settle on the big announcement, what exactly do we know about the new car?

Well, quite a lot, actually.

  • Keys are finally a thing of the past! The new Model 3 will not require a physical key or remote to unlock/lock the doors or to start the car. Instead, it will use a smartphone’s Bluetooth LE or NFC card in order to know when its owner is nearby. Magic? Not quite, but we expect it to feel like it is.
  • The Model 3 will be available in six color options: black, midnight silver metallic, deep blue metallic, silver metallic, pearl white multi-coat, red multi-coat. My vote? That red.

  • The base Model 3’s range is 220 miles on a single charge. Those opting for the top of the line model can expect 310 miles range on a single charge.
  • Those picking up a Model 3 can expect to pay $35,000 in U.S. before tax incentives for base model, $44,00 for top model.
  • Unlike Tesla’s Model S and Model X, access to Tesla’s Superchargers network is not free. This is a big difference between the more inexpensive Tesla and its bigger, more costly brethren.
  • The car includes new Autopilot 2.0 sensors that can be upgraded through software for full autonomous driving in future.
  • If you wanted a car to feel like you are driving in the future, then this may be it. The Model 3 has no instrument cluster or heads up display. Everything is handled through a 15-inch bezel-less touchscreen/tablet on the dashboard with no knobs or buttons to be found anywhere on the dash.

  • Those worried about storage space need not; the back seats can fold down if more room is needed in the trunk.
  • Yes, there is an all-glass roof.

  • Anyone who has not pre-ordered and placed an order right now can expect delivery around the middle months of 2018.

Those are the main points, and the ones that we think will help inform an early buying decision. I personally know enough to know that I want one of these things, that’s for sure!

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