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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.
The one part that I think doesn't signal they are doing well is the closing of the stores. I know where I am there is a Tesla store in the mall and it's always packed. Granted, where I live (S. Fla) is a haven for Tesla vehicles - but still - I think cars are something people want a shopping experience with and I feel this will be a mistake for Tesla.
This doesnâ(TM)t look like a good idea to me. A car is something that most consumers want to sit in and explore in the showroom. It is not like a book you order online.
Instead of test drives, cars can be returned within 7 days or 1,000 miles at no charge
After a thousand miles driving, I'd say it's pretty obvious there's going to be no charge.
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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?
The Hyundai Kona Electric is now available to order with deliveries on Mar 15. Its 37000 or 27000 after tax breaks in California. 260 Mi range and an SUV rather than a Sedan.
The only problem is its so much in demand even though the MSRP is 37000 dealers are charging 41000 as its a better car than the 42000$ Model 3.
Now that the 35000$ Tesla has got released maybe the price premium on the Kona Electric will go down
Thanks Elon. I was in 2 minds about the Kona Electric purchase. Your timely move will let me get it for $27K. (Note its still cheaper than the base model Model 3 as Hyundai gets the entire 10K tax break)
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Closing the stores? Where are you supposed to go to get the car serviced?
Service center, or use one of their mobile service options? I can't say I've ever driven my car back to a showroom for a service.
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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Apparently Tesla is giving potential customers 7 days of full possession and 1,000 miles of test drive instead, if I understood it correctly.
That seems enormously superior to sniffing around in a showroom for an hour, to me at least.
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260 Mi range and an SUV rather than a Sedan.
Does it have AWD, or even an option? Doesn't seem ike it from the specs.
Any quick charge ability? Again reading through the product page, seems like an overnight charge,
6.2 inches of ground clearance - Just 0.3 inches more than a MINI countrman, 0.7 more than a model 3 so claiming it is "an SUV" is kind of misleading.
60 mph in 6.4 seconds.
Not sure in what way this car is actually better, except maybe a bit more interior cargo space. By any other metric it is not as good or useful.
As someone else said in another comment, without some approach to long range quick charging it's not a viable option for a lot of people (though I guess you could buy a Kona Electric for everyday use, then a Tesla for roadtrips and return it).
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Would they also be able to sell me undercoating and fabric and paint "protection" for the car?
CR also rated Model 3 as having the highest owner satisfaction of any car on the market.
As for the "reliability", when CR's methodology was challenged on their Reddit AMA, the CR guy responded, "Appreciate the feedback. Let me see what we can do. Breaking up the stuff that makes you break down on the side of the road is certainly more severe." CR themselves explicitly stated that the drivetrain was reliable; they marked the car down for paint and trim, with no attempt to control for the obvious bias that the more FUD there is against a vehicle, the more intensely buyers will examine their vehicle - and most new vehicles have some paint defects (which is why the first step of applying PPF is paint correction - it's just that most owners never notice it until the detailer points it out).
When was the last time you ran anywhere? I mean with your own legs, not by pressing 'X'?
That really is a joke. People are waiting 3 months for routine servicing right now, let alone repairs. There aren't enough loan vehicles either.
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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.
except for german autobahn there is nowhere i can drive legally faster then 130mph.
even the 5.6 second accel is way too fast (for most people).
On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
The answer to that is no.
AmiMoJo has a hatred for Tesla that burns so bright that you could point him at a solar panel and use him to charge one.
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