Elon Musk took the stage tonight to unveil the affordable Model 3 during a private event at its Hawthorne, Calif. facility. The car looks fantastic and I reserved one online to replace my wife's Nissan Leaf.
Tesla expects a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rating of 215 miles of range on the base model and hints at available longer-range models. Supercharging is standard on all models to take advantage of the fast network of over 3,600 charging stations.
Musk claims 0-60 mph performance in under 6-seconds, which puts its straight-line performance in the same territory as the BMW 328i. But, like its bigger brothers, expect even faster models available when deliveries begin next year. Tesla's semi-autonomous driving technology – Autopilot – will be standard on all Model 3's, which gives it a major technological leap over the Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf.
Specs
- Expected safety rating: 5-stars across the board, including small overlap
- 0-60 mph: Under 6 seconds
- Supercharging standard
- Technology: Autopilot standard on all models
- Seating: Seats 5 adults comfortably
- Base price: $35,000 (£30,000)
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