Tesla is gearing up for the big reveal of the Model 3, its first mass-market car.
CEO Elon Musk unveiled the car last March, but Tesla will show off the production version of the sedan in July. The summer show will allow the roughly 400,000 customers who preordered the vehicle a chance to see the final version before deliveries begin at the end of the year.
We broke down everything you need to know about the Model 3 — here’s a closer look:
Tesla’s big selling point for the Model 3 is its affordability, with a starting price of $35,000 before tax incentives. But for customers who want the full Tesla experience, however, the final price will most likely surpass $40,000.
REUTERS/Joe White/File Photo
It’s unclear whether customers who buy the Tesla Model 3 will be eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax incentive — that credit applies only to the first 200,000 cars a manufacturer sells domestically.
Tesla globally sold about 80,000 vehicles in 2016 and about 50,000 vehicles in 2015. Factoring cars sold since 2008, Tesla will be cutting it close to 200,000 vehicles by the time deliveries begin at the end of the year.
But the credit doesn’t disappear the second an automaker hits 200,000 vehicles. Instead, the credit would first fall by 50%, CNN reported.
On its website, Tesla doesn’t make any guarantees about the federal tax incentive.
“We are committed to providing you with the most current information about incentives at the time of purchase. We’ll do the same when it’s time for confirming your Model 3 order,” the website says.
Tesla’s new Autopilot system will also cost at least $7,100, but more on that later.
Tesla says the car will be able to drive at least 215 miles on a single charge. That’s pretty darn good for a $35,000 car!
The latest models of the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq Electric cost about $30,000 but have more limited ranges: 107 miles and 124 miles, respectively.
The Model 3 will compete more closely with the Chevy Bolt, which can drive 238 miles on a single charge and starts at $37,495.
The Model 3 can accelerate to 60 mph in under six seconds.
That edges out the Chevy Bolt, which can do 0-60 mph in about seven seconds. Musk has saidthat more-expensive versions of the car will have longer ranges and faster acceleration times, but he hasn’t announced those yet.
It comes equipped with a new suite of sensors that can support full autonomy.
The Model 3 comes with eight cameras, one radar sensor, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a new Nvidia Drive PX2 supercomputer to support Tesla’s second-generation Autopilot system, dubbed Enhanced Autopilot.
Tesla says Enhanced Autopilot will eventually allow the car to match its speed to traffic conditions, automatically change lanes without driver input, merge on and off highways, and park itself. Tesla owners could also summon the car in more complex environments, like a crowded parking lot.
It costs an extra $5,000 to activate Enhanced Autopilot features at the time of purchase, but standard safety features will come free.
Tesla says the new hardware will eventually allow the cars to drive themselves. But the self-driving feature will cost an additional $4,000 after purchasing the vehicle. The regulatory environment will determine when Tesla can release the fully driverless system.
Tesla said the Model 3 is designed to achieve a five-star safety rating.
Tesla has been a leader when it comes to safety. The government recently dubbed the Model X the safest SUV ever after it earned a five-star rating in every safety category and subcategory.
The Model S has also secured a five-star rating in every category.
Model 3 owners get access to Tesla’s massive Supercharger network.
Tesla’s Supercharger network is nothing to sniff at. A Supercharger can restore 170 miles of range in 30 minutes. That’s much faster than a Tesla partner station or a wall socket.
Better yet, Tesla is doubling the number of Superchargers worldwide by the end of 2017. The gray dots on the map above show the new Superchargers expected to come online by the end of the year.
But the perk is no longer free. Unless you can snag a referral code from a friend, you will have to pay for access once you’ve reached 1,000 miles. Thankfully, it’s a small fee.
The Model 3 offers a ton of space for a passenger sedan.
The car, which seats five, can even fit a 7-foot surfboard, Musk said last year.
Tesla will offer a glass roof as an option on the Model 3.
Just like it does with the Model S, Tesla will offer an array of premium features for its Model 3, Electrek reported. In addition to the glass roof, Tesla will allow customers to purchase 18- or 19-inch wheels, according to the report.
Tesla opened its glass division in October to make its solar roofs. The group is developing glass that can use heating elements to clear snow while generating energy. Musk said this kind of glass could be used as a rear defroster on cars, but it’s unclear whether we will see this technology on the Model 3.
The sedan features a clean design.
See how there’s no grille? The car is completely smooth.
Like the Model X, the handles are flush with the door.
It also comes with a massive 15-inch tablet. But unlike the tablets in the Model S and Model X, the display is horizontal.
Reorienting the touchscreen might make it easier to access different features while driving.
A lot is riding on Tesla’s big Model 3 reveal. We’ll be watching in July to see what else is new.
