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Tesla Launches Base Model 3 For $35,000 With Shorter Range, New Interior (electrek.co)
In a call with reporters Thursday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company is finally launching the long-promised standard Model 3 with a base price of $35,000. "The automaker is now making several new versions of the Model 3 available with a shorter range and new interior options," reports Electrek. From the report: Today, Tesla sent an email to its retail stores the details of the announcement of the new options being available to order in the U.S. today and available as soon as next month. All the details are expected to become available in the next hour, but here's what we know so far: Customers are now able to order the $35,000 Model 3 with a standard interior and standard battery pack enabling 130mph top speed and 5.6s 0-60s acceleration. Tesla is also making a new "Partial Premium Interior" with better seats than the standard interior available with a different "standard range plus" battery pack for a $2,000 premium. The Model 3 Standard Range Plus results in 240 miles of range, a top speed of 140mph, 0-60mph acceleration of just 5.3 seconds. Tesla says that deliveries are starting within the next 2 to 4 weeks depending on the configuration in the U.S. In Europe, Musk said it will be available to order within the "next 3 to 6 months."
Slashdot reader Rei provides additional details: The new unveiling introduced a whole slew of variants, including (price, range, top speed, 0-60, premium):
SR: $35K, 220 miles, 130mph, 5.6 seconds, non-PUP
SR+: $37K, 240 miles, 140mph, 5.3 seconds, partial-PUP
MR: $40K, 264 miles, 140mph, 5.2 seconds, PUP
LR: $43K, 325 miles, 140mph, 5.0 seconds, PUP
AWD: $47K, 310 miles, 145mph, 4.5 seconds, PUP
P: $48K, 310 miles, 162mph, 3.2 seconds, PUP
Pricing, ranges, and features have by and large significantly surpassed initial promises. For example, the Long Range (LR) variant was supposed to be a $9K premium over SR, with the Premium Upgrades Package another $5k, but now PUP is included in LR and the price difference is only $8K. Range and performance specs have been upgraded not just on new vehicles, but will also be upgraded on existing vehicles, where applicable, via software update. The price for Autopilot has dropped from $5K to $3K, and some features once planned to be premium-only -- including the glass roof and auto dimming, power folding, heated side mirrors -- are now standard. The Model S and X product line has also been modified, with higher performance at the top end and lower prices at the bottom.
To achieve cost savings, in addition to production optimizations and the recent layoffs, Tesla announced an unexpected strategy: they're closing most of their stores. Sales will only be conducted online. Instead of test drives, cars can be returned within 7 days or 1,000 miles at no charge. "Quite literally, you could buy a Tesla, drive several hundred miles for a weekend road trip with friends and then return it for free," Tesla said in their blog post.
SR: $35K, 220 miles, 130mph, 5.6 seconds, non-PUP
SR+: $37K, 240 miles, 140mph, 5.3 seconds, partial-PUP
MR: $40K, 264 miles, 140mph, 5.2 seconds, PUP
LR: $43K, 325 miles, 140mph, 5.0 seconds, PUP
AWD: $47K, 310 miles, 145mph, 4.5 seconds, PUP
P: $48K, 310 miles, 162mph, 3.2 seconds, PUP
Pricing, ranges, and features have by and large significantly surpassed initial promises. For example, the Long Range (LR) variant was supposed to be a $9K premium over SR, with the Premium Upgrades Package another $5k, but now PUP is included in LR and the price difference is only $8K. Range and performance specs have been upgraded not just on new vehicles, but will also be upgraded on existing vehicles, where applicable, via software update. The price for Autopilot has dropped from $5K to $3K, and some features once planned to be premium-only -- including the glass roof and auto dimming, power folding, heated side mirrors -- are now standard. The Model S and X product line has also been modified, with higher performance at the top end and lower prices at the bottom.
To achieve cost savings, in addition to production optimizations and the recent layoffs, Tesla announced an unexpected strategy: they're closing most of their stores. Sales will only be conducted online. Instead of test drives, cars can be returned within 7 days or 1,000 miles at no charge. "Quite literally, you could buy a Tesla, drive several hundred miles for a weekend road trip with friends and then return it for free," Tesla said in their blog post.
At the same time, we will be increasing our investment in the Tesla service system, with the goal of same-day, if not same-hour service, and with most service done by us coming to you, rather than you coming to us. Moreover, we guarantee service availability anywhere in any country in which we operate./quote?
Lemon and warranty laws allow you to return a car anywhere from 4 weeks to 3 months or even longer in some EU jurisdictions.
Not sure whether online sales get around local (sometimes down to city) laws but I'm sure 7 days won't fly in many places.
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LOL. Are people still pretending that the Kona is an "SUV"? Have you sat in the back seat? It's only suitable for amputees. It's a "CUV", which only describes form factor, not size.
The problem is not demand but production. They're making them in tiny quantities, because Hyundai earns basically nothing on its EVs.
When was the last time you ran anywhere? I mean with your own legs, not by pressing 'X'?
The one part that I think doesn't signal they are doing well is the closing of the stores.
Tesla never wanted stores in the first place. Part of their business model right from the start was a desire to upend the existing "dealership" model. They were forced to open stores because the laws in some (many?) states prohibited manufacturers from selling direct to consumers.
For the vast majority of those with a decent credit rating your "hard inquiry" will either not affect their score at all or will budge it a few points. Again, I don't see the problem. Credit inquiries are only an issue for those with a lot of debt (or those who have applied for a whole bunch of loans and then backed out for some stupid reason).
People get paranoid about this stuff but it's all based on a poor understanding of the system. I'm firmly middle class myself and have a credit score up over 820. When I do apply for new credit, my score tends to drop 5-10 points tops, for a few months, before bouncing back. Not exactly something to get wound up about. If I were stupid enough to get 5 new credit cards all at once it might drop down to the low 700s, but even that wouldn't impact me in any real way.
I made a reservation to have my 3 serviced online. The first available appointment was 2 weeks out. I made my appointment (it wasn't an emergency). The next day, I received a call from the service center that they could have the mobile tech come to me, or I could bring it in later that day or the next.
What market are you in? Kona Electric has been out in Europe for quite a while.
Name one. I've been in in both. It's not even close.
No, a SUV is a large vehicle built on a truck frame. A CUV is a vehicle have a SUV-like form factor, but of any size (large or small) and with unibody construction.
I'm warning you for your own good: if you're waiting for the Kona because you're expecting it to be some "SUV", you're going to be seriously disappointed. This is the back seat.. Here's the size of the vehicle compared to a person. That doesn't mean "don't get the car". As far as non-Tesla EVs go, there's nothing "wrong" with it. But it's not an "SUV". Keep your expectations in check.
(Model 3, by contrast, is much larger inside than most people expect, particularly in the front).
BTW: If you're looking for an EV like the Kona (aka non-Tesla) whose back seat isn't cramped, I'd recommend the Kia Niro. Its front and trunk are pretty similar in size to the Kona, but its rear seat is much larger. Hyundai and Kia have a manufacturing partnership, so their vehicle lines are pretty similar.
When was the last time you ran anywhere? I mean with your own legs, not by pressing 'X'?