Receiving a rocks star’s welcome and promising a car that will cost $35,000, go 0-60 in under 6 seconds and have an EPA rated range of at least 215 miles, Elon Musk took the wraps off his latest creation, the Tesla Model 3 last night. The Tesla Design Studio where the event took place was packed with Tesla fans waiting to get a first look at the compact sedan, hear all about its features, and get a brief turn behind the wheel.
The Model 3 is a four-door compact sedan that can seat up to “five adults comfortably, and the word comfortably is the key.” Musk pointed out. They have achieved this by moving the front seats forward of where they would be in a traditional car since there is not engine taking up space between the front wheels. This allows for best-in-class front and rear-seat legroom. Also enhancing the feeling of spaciousness is a standard full-length glass roof that has the effect of opening the interior to the outside.
The Model 3 will be 5-Star crash rated along all dimensions and come equipped with Tesla Autopilot standard. Musk promised that even a base car would be very well equipped, saying, “You can’t buy a better car for $35,000 or even close even if you get no options.” For reference the average price paid in the US for a new car last year was $34,428.
As for when the cars will be in Tesla stores, Musk said they would be available at the end of 2017, adding with a laugh, “I feel very confident of that.” referencing delay and delivery issues the company has had in the past.
As of last night, Tesla had already received 115,000 orders for the Model 3, with customers putting down $1,000 deposits. As a comparison, Toyota sold around 200,000 Prius models last year. Tesla is still taking orders saying they have capacity to build up to 500,000 cars at their Fremont, California facility that was once home to a joint venture between Toyota and General Motors.
You can put your order in now by visiting the Tesla website.