Tesla Model 3 unveiling: UK price, spec, and what to expect

Tesla’s long-awaited, affordable motor is expected to be the electric car for the common person
Elon Musk says this week's Tesla Model 3 unveiling is just 'part one' of two
Getty
Liz Connor31 March 2016

Today Tesla CEO Elon Musk will unveil the company's first mass-market electric vehicle in California - and there’s a great deal of excitement surrounding the small sedan.

The Model 3 is seen as a defining product for American automotive company, who are attempting to make electric cars sellable, sexy and mainstream by reaching for the middle market.

Thinking of investing? Here’s what we know about the car so far:

How much will it cost?

Unlike other cars in the company's portfolio - including the Tesla S which starts at $70,000 - the Model 3 is expected to be vastly cheaper than any other luxury electric car. Early rumours suggest the as-yet-unseen model will retail for $35,000 (around £24,000).

What will it be like

Leaked specifications suggest it is a four-door sedan, with a 480km driving range and an acceleration time of 0-100km/h in fewer than four seconds for the top version. It’s expected to include a suite of active-safety and autonomous-driving technologies, a version of the Model S and Model X’s advanced interface, and Tesla’s system of live, over-the-air vehicle updates.

However, we shouldn’t expect to learn everything about the car today. Musk, who is also the co-founder of PayPal and head of SpaceX said on Twitter that the Tesla Model 3 event will only form "part one" of a two-part launch, ahead of the car going on sale. If reports are to be believed, there may even be two vehicles announced; a 'Model Y' crossover variant of the affordable Model 3 and pricier Model X.

Small cars on a budget; the winners and losers

1/5

Why are people so excited by it?

There is certainly no shortage of people who are eager to be part the brand's affluent clique at a rather hefty discount. Worldwide, prospective buyers are already lining up outside Tesla stores for a chance to secure an early reservation number.

Compared to the Model S and Model X, the Model 3 is expected to be a simpler and vastly cheaper version of an electric car - with the luxury cachet of being a Tesla. Any fanatical follower who could only dream of owning their own supercar can now invest in an entry-level version with, what fans are hoping, will be the EV maker's most inclusive car yet.

When will it go on sale?

The Model 3 is expected to go on sale in limited numbers in late 2017. Time to start saving?

Follow us on Twitter: @eslifeandstyle

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in