Tesla Model 3 Unveiled, Cheapest Model To Date
Tesla, the American automotive and energy storage company that first manufactured a fully electric sports car called the Tesla Roadster, has unveiled the cheapest electric car model to date which is called the Tesla Model 3. According to a report in The Verge, this is Tesla's third attempt at a fully electric car, but this time around the company hopes that the Tesla Model 3 will "bring the electric car to the masses."
After the Tesla Roadster, the company manufactured the Model S which was a luxury sedan and the Model X, a cross-over model. As of December 2015, global sales for the Model S was said to have passed the 100,000 units mark, making it the best-selling electric car and outselling other cars such as the Nissan Leaf, according to a BBC News report.
With a starting price of $35,000, the Tesla Model 3 will have at least 215 miles of range, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. He also claims that it will be "one of the safest cars in the world." The 215 mile range is said to be the minimum range that the car can reach, but according to The Verge report, the final version of the Model 3 may likely exceed this range. The car will also be able to go from 0 to 60 in 6 seconds. When it comes out in 2017, all Model 3 cars will also be equipped with Supercharger support, which allows for high-speed charging.
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Musk also shared via Twitter that pre-orders for the Model 3 have reached over 180,000 within a day of the official launch. To pre-order, consumers need to shell out an initial $1,000. The company hopes to deliver the first cars by the latter part of 2017, while pre-orders can be made in selected countries including the U.K., Ireland, Brazil, India, China and New Zealand.
According to The Verge, the Model 3 will have rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions with a smaller 15-inch touchscreen in the car's dashboard. It will comfortably fit five adults and will have autopilot hardware and standard safety features on board.
