2017 Tesla Model 3: This Is It
Elon Musk introduced the Tesla Model 3 to a packed audience tonight. At Tesla’s design headquarters in Hawthorne, California, we got to see for the very first time Tesla’s ambitious plan to bring affordable electric cars to the masses.
Musk’s keynote began with a dig at the traditional fossil fuel-powered vehicle. “If a vehicle is spewing toxic gas, that’s obviously going to be bad for your health,” he said, in front of a screen splashed with dire stats about rising global temperatures.
The CEO then went into a condensed Tesla history lesson. Highlighting the original Roadster, Musk claimed that this first Tesla inspired Bob Lutz to embark on the project that became the Chevy Bolt at GM. Next was the Model S, built “to compete with conventional cars.” The Model S got a big cheer, especially from one (assumed) owner in the crowd who brought—you guessed it—a full-size green lightsaber to punctuate his shouts. The Model X, which has only just begun hitting the streets, got less of an applause.
“The Model S and Model X are what pay for the Model 3 development,” Musk remarked. “To all of you who bought an S or X, thank you,” he quipped.
Then, of course, we got to the whole point of the night: The Model 3.
As for range: Musk says the Model 3 will do “at least” 215 miles per charge, per EPA rating. “These are minimal numbers,” he said. “We hope to exceed them.”
All Model 3s will have the full Autopilot hardware suite, and every car, including the base models, will have Autopilot’s safety and crash mitigation features standard.