What we know about Tesla’s new Model 3 sedan

Tesla Inc. is set to deliver the new electric Model 3 compact car to its first 30 customers on Friday evening. The car is half the cost of Tesla’s previous models, so it has the potential to attract many more customers to the brand.

Tesla hasn’t revealed many details about the Model 3. Here’s what we know so far.

SIZE: Tesla has said the Model 3 will be similar in size to the Audi A4 or the BMW 3 Series, which would put it in the small-car segment. The company says the Model 3 can seat five adults and has more cargo capacity than similar cars of its size, since it has trunks in both the front and rear.

PRICE: The starting price of the Model 3 is $35,000. With a $7,500 U.S. tax credit, that falls to $27,500, but that tax credit is likely to begin phasing out next year after Tesla sells more than 200,000 vehicles in the U.S. Many states offer additional tax credits, including California, Colorado and New York.

RANGE: 215 miles on a charge.

FEATURES: The hardware for Autopilot, Tesla’s partially self-driving system, will be on all cars, but customers will have to pay extra for the whole suite of capabilities, including automatic lane-changing. The Model 3 will have fewer configurations than earlier Tesla vehicles, to make manufacturing less complex. But CEO Elon Musk has said customers will get to choose a color and wheel size.

ORDERING: Potential buyers can put down a $1,000 refundable deposit to get on the list for a Model 3. People reserving a car now will likely get it in the middle of 2018, Tesla says. Tesla hasn’t said how many reservations it has for the car.

Source: www.apnews.com 

By The Associated Press