Tesla Model 3

[sendler]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

First drive by Motor Trend, with pictures and video:

Exclusive: Tesla Model 3 First Drive Review - Motor Trend

But $59,000 fully loaded. And that was rear wheel drive. All wheel drive will be another ?$$$

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

First drive by Motor Trend, with pictures and video:

Exclusive: Tesla Model 3 First Drive Review - Motor Trend

Wow - what a glowing review!

An aunt & uncle are considering an EV. I recommended the Bolt. Not as sexy, but I suspect the ownership experience will ultimately be less frustrating (Teslaphiles have a higher annoyance threshold for bugs & quality issues). And theirs would be a 2nd car, so they don't need supercharging.

I definitely like the softened "non-grille" lines on the production model vs. the prototype:

Prototype:


Production:

[redpoint5]

What other changes were made between the prototype that people test drove months ago, and the production model?

[NeilBlanchard]

The Motor Trend preview was in a production car, three days before the event.

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Cd is 0.23 - which is impressive; and definitely with the standard Aero wheels. Sport wheels add $1500 and increase the Cd (and cut the range, too).

Do you have a source for this? I ask because manufacturers can't use aerodynamic features on their cars unless they sell more than two thirds of those cars with the aero feature.

So... Either Tesla is quoting the EPA range with the Aero wheels even though they know the actual EPA range with the sport wheels will be lower, or they're quoting the EPA range with the Sport wheels and the actual range with the Aero wheels will be higher.

Edit - They can also create another category for vehicles sold with the aero features, but last I checked there was just one CARB executive order for the Model 3 Long Range, and I believe the test group from the CARB EO is the same as the test group used for EPA certification, which implies Tesla is only going with a single test group for now.

[NeilBlanchard]

I saw it first here (near the bottom of the page):

https://electrek.co/2017/07/29/tesla...pecs-revealed/

By the way, if the Model 3 averages 237Wh / mile, it is more efficient than even the Ioniq Electric. Which is very impressive, indeed.

[sendler]

Adding up the options if the early versions all come fully loaded with the driving aids the price will be $58,000.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

Sounds like electric-age (21st century) Snobbery in action to me, ie: "...if you have to ask the price, you probably shouldn't be owning it.."

Ask the man who owns one

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by sendler

Adding up the options if the early versions all come fully loaded with the driving aids the price will be $58,000.

And this is different from the products offered by other automakers? How, exactly? I certainly see ads for many mass market* vehicles in a similar price range, with similarly costly options.

*Defining "mass market" as being people willing to commit to a six or seven years of a several hundred dollar per month car payment. IOW, not me :-)

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

And this is different from the products offered by other automakers? How, exactly? I certainly see ads for many mass market* vehicles in a similar price range, with similarly costly options.

*Defining "mass market" as being people willing to commit to a six or seven years of a several hundred dollar per month car payment. IOW, not me :-)

The difference is that TSLA actively prevents you from buying a base car by putting your order years into the future.

How often do you pre order a car over a year in advance?
Maybe Elio or Aptera
Odd part is TSLA is rewarded by being late and rare, using your place in line as an upswell technique, if GM or Nissan were to do this it would be universally blasted.