Tesla Model 3: Nine reasons it could be the ultimate electric car

The Tesla Model 3 is out in the open. Here are 9 reasons you should believe the hype

After months of wild rumours, and below-par Photoshopping, the Tesla Model 3 is finally here. Elon Musk unveiled the new Tesla Model 3 at an event a few weeks ago and it’s been tipped as an affordable electric car for the masses. Simply put, the Tesla Model 3 has the figures, the statistics and the price to be your next car, whether you like electric cars or not – an amazing achievement.

However, amongst the blanket news coverage and marketing speak, it’s easy to lose sight of what the Tesla Model 3 is, what it means – and why you *really* should care. Here are nine solid reasons you should believe the hype for the Tesla Model 3.

Tesla Model 3: 8 reasons it might be your next car

1. It’s ridiculously cheap (for an electric car)

The most obvious selling point of the Tesla Model 3 is also its most important. The base Model 3 starts at $35,000 (£24,400), and it’s easy to forget just how cheap that is. To put that in context, the Ford Focus is one of the most popular cars in the UK, and can cost anywhere between £19,000 to £24,000. The fact Tesla has been able to get anywhere near that price range with such cutting-edge technology – inside and out – is amazing. And with all due respect to Ford, which car would you rather have?

2. The space-age interior

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Teslas are known for their futuristic interiors as much as their innovative propulsion, and it’s great to see the cheaper Model 3 continue or even better the trend. The screen inside the Model 3 doesn’t seem to be as big, and it’s in a landscape position – but that’s because it’s taking the place of the car’s dials. That’s right, there’s nothing infront of the steering wheel. The Model 3 doesn’t even have a speedometer. Instead, you’ll find the speed on the top left of the touchscreen (on a left-hand drive car, of course). Not only is this innovative, it’s pretty damn cool – and something I can’t wait to try out.

3. Its understated good looks

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Last year we heard rumours that the Tesla Model 3 was going to be super slippery, and you can see that in the car’s design. The Model 3 has nice swooping lines, an almost entirely glass roof, and no grille openings – a notoriously draggy feature. Personally, I think the end result looks great. It’s sleek and futuristic without overdoing it, and where other carmakers seem to have agreed that all electric cars need to have some kind of blue trim – I’m looking at you BMW, Renault and Nissan – the Model 3 is classy and understated. Regardless of the numbers, the Tesla Model 3 needs to be a car you’ll want to see on your drive – and I think it nails it.

4. Autopilot hardware as standard is HUGE

This seems to have been largely overlooked, but it’s huge. At last night’s event, Elon Musk said that all Tesla Model 3s will have Autopilot hardware as standard – and all the safety features that come with it. Sure, you won’t get the full autonomous Autopilot I tried the other day, but you will get things such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane keeping and automatic preventative steering (Autosteer) – which is seriously impressive at this price. And because the Model 3 comes with all the sensors and lasers you need for Autopilot as standard, you can always get the matching software at a later date. It’ll probably cost you around £2,600, but having the option to upgrade your entry-level Tesla is a real bonus.

5. Safety is everything - and Tesla knows it

When you’re buying a car, there are certain things that are non-negotiable, and safety is one of them. A car packed with potentially explosive lithium-ion batteries isn’t always perceived as the safest vehicle on the road, but the Model 3 offers some serious protection. Last night, Elon Musk said the car features “five-star safety” throughout, and if we take his word for it, a lot of electric car naysayers to take note. When you combine those structural safety systems with the semi-autonomous, preventative measures, the Tesla Model 3 might be one of the safest cars on the road. Who saw that coming?

6. Good range and free Supercharging

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The Tesla Model 3 has a range of 215 miles, which is enough for most people – even if they don’t know it. And when you think about it, 215 miles is actually a long way. It’s nearly enough to get from London to Norwich and back on a single charge, or all the way to Hull – if you wanted. Sure, you’d need to drive extremely conservatively, but the fact those sorts of places are within reach shows just how long the Model 3 can go for. And when you do need to charge, the Model 3 will have access to Tesla’s ever-growing range of Superchargers, which provide 170 miles of power in less than 30 minutes – for free. Even without the Superchargers, the Tesla Model 3 will be compatible with the UK’s rapidly expanding network of electric car chargers, so with some forward planning you’ll be able to make pretty much any journey work.

The above tweet isn’t from an iPhone launch – it’s from the Tesla Model 3 launch yesterday. Everyone wants a piece of Tesla’s latest car, and last night the company had to start pre-orders early to try to manage demand. During the presentation, Elon Musk said more than 115,000 had put down the deposit needed to secure a baby Tesla, and numbers were at 150,000 at 11am this morning. That many people can’t all be wrong. Surely.

7. Support

Yes, it’s a boring one, but after you buy a car, it needs to be serviced and maintained. Tesla already has 215 locations worldwide – including one in London – but that should double by next year. The result? Tesla says no matter where you are, you won’t be far from a full-blown Tesla dealership, and a place to get your Model 3 sorted. 

8. All of the above, and the price. Again.

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When you look at each of these things individually, the Tesla Model 3 should pique your interest, but as a whole Tesla has made a formidable argument. And then there’s the price, again. Just repeat it out loud, but slower. Thirty thousand dollars. You can now buy a car that’s raved about by both the technology and car press for the same price as a Ford Focus. Ridiculous.