It’s been called the most anticipated automobile in history by numerous news outlets. Nearly half-a-million people plunked down a $1,000 (refundable) deposit to reserve one, years before they would actually be able to take delivery of it. They did so without ever seeing the actual production version, without being able to sit in one let alone test drive it, and without knowing what the actual cost was going to be. That. Is. Crazy.
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Yet, I admit that I’m one of the crazy ones. On March 31th, 2016, I waited until the line of about 250 people that came before me dissipated, and then walked into the Tesla store at the Short Hills Mall in New Jersey and handed them $1,000 with no clear knowledge of when my car would be available, what exactly it would look like or how much it would cost. Walking out of the mall I thought to myself, “Did I just order a car, or did I just join a cult?”
It’s nearly two years later and I still don’t have my Model 3. Tesla has pushed my estimated delivery date back twice now. Originally, my estimate was late 2017 to early 2018, but after another delay just this week, my new delivery window estimate is now April 2018 – June 2018. Luckily for me, we aren’t in urgent need of car and can wait. I recently took possession of a 2018 BMW i3 Sport, and my wife has a car to use until the Model 3 arrives. The i3 Sport is actually my fifth BMW electric car, and I have a long history of driving BMW EVs dating back to 2009 when I was in BMW’s MINI-E test program.
So when it comes to electric cars, I’m used to being called crazy. I’ve been saying, blogging and writing about how battery electrics were soon going to replace internal combustion for nearly a decade now, and only recently have people begun to think that might be true. Tesla, by the way, has had a lot to do with that. While most other OEMs were busy making small compliance EVs, Tesla has been going head to head with the traditional OEM’s luxury models, and faring pretty well at that. Model S sales have consistently surpassed BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, Lexus and Jaguar, making it the best-selling car in its class in the US.
But will the Model 3 also do that to the competition in the compact premium and midsized classes? Judging from the reservation list and early reviews, it just might. I was able to secure the use of a Model 3 from a friend who had recently taken delivery, and below are some of my thoughts.
The Good
Appearance: The exterior styling is excellent, in my opinion. Styling of course is highly subjective, I really like how the car looks. It has a nice blend of sporty aggressiveness as well as conservative class.
Interior: The minimalist interior gets marks in both the good and the bad categories. Everything is controlled by the huge center touch screen. It’s pretty intuitive, and I was able to perform most tasks immediately, without getting help from the car’s owner. Although it’s definitely going to take some time for new owners to get used to having everything controlled by center screen. Not having buttons and levers to perform common tasks definitely feels unnatural at first. The seats are very comfortable and supportive. They are much better than the first-generation Model S seats were. Tesla has since updated the Model S seats and the “Next Generation” seats are very supportive and comfortable. I place the Model 3’s seats in between the original Model S seats and the ones currently used for comfort and support. The rear seats are comfortable and there’s plenty of leg and head room for most adults. The rear seats fold flat so longer cargo can extend up into the rear seating area from the trunk, if necessary.
Performance: The instant, neck snapping torque that’s become synonymous with Tesla wasn’t left out of the Model 3. It’s not as powerful as a P100D Model S, but it has 271 HP and 307 lb-ft of torque and a curb weight of 3,838 lbs. That’s enough power to launch the Model 3 from 0-60 in 4.8 seconds and through the quarter mile in 13.4 seconds at 104.9 mph, according to Motor Trend. Which, by the way, is quicker than a BMW 330i, and I’m sure that wasn’t accidental since Tesla has stated that the Model 3 will target potential 3-Series customers.
Handling and Ride: One of the first things I noticed in my time behind the wheel was how solid and planted the car feels. The steering is direct and is just heavy enough. Tesla definitely got that right, in my opinion. I didn’t have the car on a track, but I was able to toss it around a bit on some curves and it performed like a true sports sedan should.
Tesla’s Charging Network: When having a frank discussion about electric vehicle adoption, the 800 lb gorilla in the room is always the need for plentiful, accessible, high-speed public charging to enable long distance travel. Sure, there are other problems, like battery cost and energy density, but it’s pretty well accepted that these issues are rapidly being solved, and in the near future will no longer be an impediment. However, high speed public charging is still one issue the OEMs are trying to figure out. Everybody except Tesla that is. Tesla’s Supercharger network is now expanding at a rate of about twelve new stations per day. There are currently well over 1,000 locations worldwide, and nearly 10,000 individual stations. Using the Supercharger network, I can pretty much go anywhere I want to with ease. That simply isn’t the case with any other electric vehicle made today. There aren’t nearly enough DC Fast charge locations that support the Combo or CHAdeMO protocol. To make matters worse most locations have only one station so if it’s in use or broken you’re out of luck. Tesla locations have six to twelve stations on average, and since Tesla owns and operates the network they keep them up and running all of the time.
OTA Software Updates: This is one thing that current Tesla owners love. They wake up one day and there’s a message in the car that overnight the system updated and fixed a problem, or added a feature that wasn’t previously available. Model 3 owners have already had a few updates. I had to bring my previous i3 to my BMW dealer a couple times for software updates. I would have much preferred having it done automatically while I slept.
The Bad
The Wait: With a more established OEM like BMW, for all but their rarest cars, you can pretty much get whatever car you want within a month or two of ordering it. I’m now on month 23 of waiting since I placed my Model 3 deposit and I still have no idea when I’ll get my car. Sure, Tesla estimates my turn will come in two to four months, but that’s already been pushed back twice, so I really have no reason to believe that it won’t be delayed again. But this isn’t new for Tesla. They’ve had launch problems for all three of the previous cars that they’ve sold (Roadster, Model S & Model X). At some point Tesla will have to grow up and start acting like a real car company and execute a proper vehicle launch.
Limited Rear View: The trunk deck lid extends far up the back of the car and because of this the rear view is very limited. The workaround is to simply turn on the rearview camera, which unlike most cars can be turned on at any time. It’s not a huge problem, especially because of the rearview camera, but it is worth noting. To make matters worse, the rear window defroster elements are thicker than I’ve seen an any other car. What’s odd about that is reports from early Model 3 owners seem to indicate that the rear defrosters take unusually long to work. I would think that such thick defroster elements would work better, but it appears that isn’t the case.
Fit and Finish: This is one area where Tesla still has a lot of catching up to do. The body panel alignment on the car I drove was pretty good, with only a couple minor exceptions. However, I’ve now seen five more Model 3s on the road and on each one of them I have found a few more egregious misalignments. This is the one reason I’m not upset that Tesla keeps pushing back my delivery estimate. I figure the longer they take, the more initial manufacturing issues they’ll have worked out by the time they make my car.
Center Screen Controls Everything: While I really loved the minimalistic approach to the interior, I sometimes think Tesla may have gone a little too far. For instance, you can turn on the windshield wipers for a quick single-swipe with the steering column left-side stalk, but only for that one quick swipe. If you want the wipers to stay on, you need to go to the center screen to activate them. Also, you can activate the cruise control by pushing down the right-side stalk once (twice activates Autopilot) but it can only continue at the speed you were going at when you activated it. If you want to increase or decrease the cruise control speed, you need to do that on the center screen. It seems too distracting to do this while you’re driving, especially for the wipers which you’ll be activating when you already have reduced vision because of the rain. You can’t even open the glovebox without using the center screen.
I get why Tesla designed the car this way. It’s really setting up the car for car sharing and full autonomy where there will be very little need for human interaction. But that’s not here yet, and we still need to pilot the cars and have the features easily accessible. I’m hoping that once I get my Model 3, and have more time behind the wheel that I will feel more comfortable with relying on the center screen.
Summary
The Model 3 is far from perfect. Tesla, as a company has a lot of issues to work out, and I’m sure they will continue to experience growing pains for the foreseeable future. That said, the Model 3 is still a special car worth waiting for. The Long Range version has more than 300 miles of range, can seat five passengers comfortably, drives like a true sports sedan, outperforms nearly all of the competition in its class and looks great. It has access to thousands of rapid charging stations which can add about 170 miles of range in 30 minutes, enabling long distance travel with minimal inconvenience.
The Model 3’s main competitors aren’t other electric cars. The Model 3 offers so much more than the current electric competition that they aren’t really worthy competitors. The Model 3 is going straight after the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 market. How much of this market the Model 3 takes from the competition remains to be seen. That said, none of legacy OEMs have ever had 450,000 people plunk down a deposit on a car that they have never seen or driven, don’t know when they’ll get it or how much it will cost.
BMW recently disclosed their future electrification plans which is based on their new flexible vehicle architecture. This new architecture, starting in 2020 will allow BMW to make all future models available in ICE, plug-in hybrid and all electric, giving the customer the choice of which version they prefer. That’s BMW’s electrification plan; offer all new cars in all variations. Some have argued that this path ensures that none of the versions will be optimized for the powertrain they have. Since the flexible architecture has to accommodate three different types of powertrains, all versions will have some compromises baked into the design.
Mike Tyson one said that all of his opponents have a plan, until they get punched in the face. The Model 3 is going to be a punch to the face of BMW and the other legacy automakers once Tesla works out their initial manufacturing issues and starts to deliver thousands of copies every week. It’s going to be really interesting to see who gets up and brings real electric competition to market, and who becomes a has-been.
Talk about a wait, my Model X took nearly 8 months to arrive, in 2016 I placed my order for the 5-seat version. I was told the 5-seaters would be out in the summer, but it didn’t go into production until November. And dealing with Tesla’s direct sales, is exactly the same as those customer support hotlines we all hate for our electronic devises. And by the way the interior isn’t minimalist it’s just missing things.
https://youtu.be/fOIneYd24Ww
In regards to your linked video… There is nothing missing that the mounted phone provides. All of those features are on the center screen. It’s just that Ben Sullins doesn’t want them to be there.
I know it’s on the screen, and it’s a bad design as pointed out in the video. When I first looked at a Model S in 2012 it’s interior was the biggest reason I didn’t buy one. I finally bought a Model X because the interior evolved to a point where it was better, and because no one at the time made something comparable car wise. The Model 3 to me has gone back to that odd cheap feel that doesn’t measure up to its automotive rivals. And just wait until summer hits, I’ve had issues with the heat in my Model X because of all the glass…….. (and don’t tell me about the pop in sunshade, because it doesn’t block heat, neither does tint after the glass gets hot.)
“it’s a bad design as pointed out in the video”
An opinion that you and Ben share. Not a fact, as others disagree, including me.
“The Model 3 to me has gone back to that odd cheap feel”
Again, many disagree. I’ve been in/driven both Model 3 and Model S. The touchscreen in the Model S and X feels sluggish and outdated compared to the snappy screen in the Model 3. I suppose one could measure cheap that way as well. The ventilation system in the S/X now feels outdated as well, and you can bet both of those cars will be switching to the setup in the Model 3 (and Roadster 2) when they get their refreshes.
“And just wait until summer hits, I’ve had issues with the heat in my Model X because of all the glass”
I’ve also read plenty of personal accounts where Model S/X owners have said the glass roof is not an issue at all.
The comment section is for people to express their opinions after reading the article isn’t it? My comment is also based on my experience with my Tesla, and the experience I have had leading up to my purchase. Yes the glass roof gets hot, it is uninsulated, and has no power partition like most panoramic sunroofs have. To make matters worse one day last summer my Model X decided to stop making cool air on a day that it was 103 degrees outside. I bought a insulated stick on sunshade from EVannex that does work but seems a bit ridiculous to purchase, given the nearly $120,000 price of my car, Tesla should have thought of that. Now given my experience, and the fact that the Model 3 has a similar amount of glass, I’m sure we’ll hear something from Model 3 owners. Especially since most people started receiving them this winter, and have yet to drive it in the summer.
Here is an article by a Model S owner that does mention how hot the glass gets.
https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1112679_life-with-tesla-model-s-assessing-my-new-100d-vs-old-2013-electric-car
The model 3 is an entry level vehicle. If you want something fancier buy the X or S. Look at a GM $35,000 car interior for comparison. My kid bought an entry level MB GLA for $42,000. The Model 3 interior is nicer and the tech through the roof. The Model 3 was designed more as an autonomous Uber vehicle so display screens are not too important since you will be chauffeured in the backseat.
I ordered my 2017 Model X for Hawaii and received it in 6 weeks. Most vehicles special ordered for Hawaii average 3-4 months. My Model X is the best vehicle I have ever owned. I fill her up with my solar panels at home 100% of the time. My solar panels save me $600/month electricity and save me $300/month gas savings. Almost $1000/month savings without changing my lifestyle! The Model 3 is worth the wait for this exclusive club!
I ordered my Tesla on line. Never had to speak to anyone until my car arrived. I signed 5 minutes of paperwork and a 15 minute checkout on the Tesla iPad. That is the way I like to buy vehicles!
Enjoy the video.
https://youtu.be/QCIo8e12sBM
Thanks for the video, interesting stuff. Will definitely inspect these things as Model 3 production has matured. We can only hope Tesla matures as a manufacturer and that regular customers will dillute the sea of Tesla fanboys.
When the manufacturer prefers to send his car into space?
Rather than deliver to his wait list?
hmmm
It would be a good joke, if it were accurate.
I look forward to the day when Elon’s hype is accurate.
In the meantime?
NOT a good joke.
You are, though.
Why thank you.
What a stupid comment… The fact that SpaceX launched a Roadster into space doesn’t affect Model 3… And it’s just an alternative object to launch.
My brother’s $140k model S leaks and has bad paint, that ain’t right. last car I had that leaked was a 1970’s dodge with a leaky sunroof. Tesla’s leak from misaligned body panels and seals/
Yeah, build quality is a big Bugaboo here.
Remember Acura steel marble ad rolling on the Legend exterior car panels. It took that in 1980’s before the Big 3 got their act together because of competition. Before GM stated the public will buy anything we make, let them find the bugs. Tesla is a brand new car company building from scratch, R&D, infrastructure, new tech, worldwide chargers, and sell a vehicle the same price as 100 year old companies. Wait til their 5th or 6th generation. Yes, the X and S are expensive but they are competing against the best out of Germany with all new tech. An Escalade is $100,000 with old school tech on old school truck frame that is worth nothing
It seems this will be a good car, once the initial manufacturing issues are sorted out. All cars suffer from quality issues in their first full year of production, apparently the model 3 isn’t any different. Some of the early quality defects are shocking though, it really shows that 2017 cars were largely made by hand, by unmotivated and poorly trained employees. Once the automated production lines are running largely by themselves in full production mode, I expect quality will improve dramatically. Keep in mind that these early cars are essentially prototypes that have been dispatched to Beta testers, employees of Tesla and existing Tesla owners that live within a few hundred miles of the factory, so any issues can be easily fixed.
Tesla just has a terrible method for starting production on a new vehicle.
They simulate everything on computers and then order full production tools and machinery expecting that their modeling is flawless. They aren’t flawless so cars get built with problems and humans have to rework all those problems until the machine gets fixed or replaced.
Real manufacturers do the same initial step but order cheaper test machinery for production test runs to make sure everything works perfectly, then order the expensive full production machinery to make the cars that get delivered to actual customers.
Tesla’s way is faster, because for the first year or two it’s selling flawed cars to rabid fans who excuse things BMW customers would never accept.
Yes, that is true, they totally skipped the prototype testing phase and the test production run. It will probably be 2019 until the model 3 issues are all ironed out. I guess that is why only hardcore Tesla fanboys (employees and existing owners) were even allowed to drive the car so far, let alone own it. I’m still waiting for at least one independent review of the car from a major publication, but apparently Tesla is too chicken to let journalists test its cars, unless they’re Tesla fanboys themselves (see Motor Trend).
I can’t say I’m a fan of every single thing being controlled from the touch screen only, and not having a secondary screen behind the steering or even just a HUD to display major things like speed, or navigation directions. While this approach definitely makes sense in a fully, or nearly fully autonomous car we aren’t quite there yet. I really don’t get why they couldn’t have allowed more things be controlled by steering wheel stalks, or more buttons on the steering wheel itself, while still having them be controllable through the center screen for people who prefer that. I personally think they took the minimalistic design a step too far in the Model 3. I haven’t driven a Model 3 so maybe you get used to it, but it seems to me they have traded too much functionality for form. The build quality issues such as the panel gaps should be something they can fix, and I hope they do soon.
I really do like Tesla and I’m rooting for them to do well. Overall the Model 3 still seems like a really good car, and I can see why a lot of people would buy one over a 3 series once they are more widely available. Competition is good, and they are pushing other automakers like BMW forward.
Hopefully BMW’s fully electric cars are able to roughly match Tesla’s in range and performance in the near future. I still prefer the interior and styling of BMW’s cars, and while I’m not personally planning to get a fully electric car anytime soon, when I do hopefully Tesla has pushed all of the other major automakers forward to the point where it’s more about styling, the interior, and how it feels to drive. Currently Tesla is the only real option for a very practical (for most people), fully electric, luxury car.
If you buy an S or X @ a high price.
Only ones actually available.
Tesla has now implemented automatic (rain sensing) windshield wipers via an OTA update, which should minimize the need for touch-screen control. Also, many features can now be voice controlled, and Elon Musk said that pretty much everything will eventually be able to be controlled by voice.
Yes. We all need a cheat sheet on voice control commands.
that quack-quack nose…
Actually, the charging shot? Thought it was a Ferrari.
So duck?
No.
Stallion.
BEV stallion.
Just disappointed that BMW has not come out with a more main line BEV. I have 2 BEV i3s but I want a more substancial vehicle. I thought the Mod 3 would fit the bill. But I was disappointed with my immediate impression just sitting in the Mod 3. Great review here wish we wered able to do a test drive of the Mod 3 (the three day i3 loan program sold me on my first i3). I absolutely love my i3s, and with much difficulty I’m trading one in for a CPO 2014 Model S85 w/ auto pilot. Just tried of waiting while Musk ignors 450,000 reservation to play his games, and BMW fails to see the need and beauty of the BEV design..
We all are. Hopefully that changes past 2020.
The weekend leak of the potential iX3 looks quite promising in the SAV space at least. But we really need to see a good, solid BEV car from them. Just need to get a 4-series Gran Coupe BEV and I think it’d be great.
://www.google.de/amp/www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2018/02/first-photos-pure-electric-bmw-ix3-crossover.html/amp
I have a Model 3 reservation, but I’m looking out for alternatives, be it 3 Series or something from another manufacturer… But it needs a tow hitch and a high speed charging network… Tesla has one of these and will likely have a tow hitch when it hits the European market.
The i3 would be great if it had Model 3’s range, charging speed, performance and a tow hitch. I don’t see that happening… They purposely keep it from being anything other than a city car. If they at least gave it the new 120 Ah cells which they are just sitting on to squeeze the most profit out of the vehicle, it would suddenly be so much more than it is today. Combine that with 100 kW charging and it’s now not only a city car but something that is comfortable to use for long distance travel.
I have an i3, it’s not great for long distance… I just isn’t. 10 – 18 hours in that car and you’ll certainly know what I’m talking about. Even less…
The i3 chassis has also been fitted with a tow hitch in a European prototype (for a startup) rated 750 – 1300 kg, which is something. BMW could do better.
So basically, everything what BMW or Merc, (Premium) custormers are expecting is missing completely.
Sorry, but these customers are complaining about everything, so they would never except anything like that.
That one screen use is a mess and should be forbidden by the government. Ur not allowed to use ur phone, so why should u be allowed to use this? This is more distracting than everything else. Not even cruise control is possible on the steering wheel? Why do people buy that sh*t?! :O
I believe the majority of customers will recieve their car, when all other OEMs are already on the market, but with mature products. But have fun with it. The tearing down video says it all. This car is like a 90s KIA, and there for its way too expensive and overrated.
They buy it because to get everything else, you need to accept this compromise… That’s why I also keep my reservation. Not because I want no buttons and think that everything should be touch. Some things are simply better with stalks and buttons. Like cruise control, wiper control, volume, HVAC etc…
It’s not like a 90s KIA, though. If that’s what you took from that video, you didn’t understand what the video was about and you haven’t watched their other episodes commenting about that exact piece and also saying what they think about Tesla’s cars. There’s a lot of good things about Teslas despite the issues.
The charging network thing is mostly a US thing. In EU there are less than 400 Superchargers and nearly 4000 CCS chargers and the CCS networks are growing *far* faster than Superchargers (especially now that EU has declared it the standard). This is compounded by the fact that Tesla is unable to use the CCS chargers.
Yes and no… In Europe, Teslas chargers are WAY faster than CCS or CHAdeMO. It’s also 3 times cheaper and more convenient. It’s just a lot better.
Even if all the CCS stations were 100 kW, it still wouldn’t be on par in regards to price, speed, convenience etc. There’s a sea of providers, some better than others. Price is per minute and charging speed is not always like it should (so it becomes more expensive). You often have to wait to charge and it takes ages. The apps aren’t all that great and finding chargers can be hassleful, in a Tesla the car basically finds them for you. Or you just look them up on the map, easily and swiftly. Unlike slugging and badly written apps.
But at the end of the day, charging speed and price is what keeps me leaning towards Tesla. I could live with the rest, if that was all.
CCS is capable of 350kW.
Theoretically, the standard is open for it but the chargers aren’t dimensioned or made for it.
GM, Toyota, VW sell 30 million cars per year. Tesla struggles to sell 100k. There is virtually no market for EV’s due to charging time inconvenience.
How can you say there’s virtually no market for EVs when a half million people put down a deposit on the Model 3?
If Tesla could produce this car in volume like the established OEMs can, the Model 3 would outsell every car in it’s class, including BMW’s bread-and-butter, the 3-Series.
Tesla’s inability to scale up is the only thing stopping them from dominating this segment, not a lack of demand.
There’s also a big demand for other EVs, but as it turns out, the big ICE OEMs can’t produce them in volume. The Hyundai Ioniq electric has throngs of people wanting to buy it, but it’s almost impossible to find one. Apparently, they have battery supply problems. GM has only been building about 500 Bolt EVs per week (despite great global demand), many fewer than Tesla is producing. Supply problems from LG (?), or maybe it’s because GM doesn’t know how to make money on them, so it seems the Bolt really is a compliance car.
Either way, it’s clear that the big established car companies cannot build EVs in volume (and make money). As much as we would all like Tesla to build cars much faster, they are already building them faster than the traditional manufacturers. In a few months, they will be building them at a rate of 20,000/month, but even at that rate, people will continue to complain, because with a backlog of 500,000, a lot of people will still have to wait for up to a year or two to get a Model 3. And then many more will be waiting for Model Y.
The demand will only go up. Enough for the other EV players coming online during the next few years.
You don’t know what you’re talking about. Tesla doesn’t struggle to sell 100 k. They struggle to manufacture enough to meet demand. They have hundreds of thousands of customers ready to buy their cars but Tesla isn’t big enough to serve them.
The same can be said with other manufacturers. Even compliance EVs… There are a lot of people bummed over the fact that they can’t get a hold of compliance EVs because they’re sold out.
Charging time is an inconvenience with 50 kW, I agree. But even that doesn’t stop people from lining up. It’s time they go to at least 100 kW or higher. They will certainly bump up the charging speed by a lot. There are charging networks in the works that will supply 350 kW to EVs. 7 times faster than today.
For most people, that would only require people to stop for a short time in the end of the route. Even in today’s compliance EVs, many routes only require you to stop once. If you today stop for 30 minutes, you’d only need little over 4 minutes for the same energy. Newer EVs will have more range too.
What you seem to be oblivious of is that engine technology is highly mature and has little potential. EV technology is very immature and has great potential. Potential that is being realized each year. Just over a few years, the energy density has doubled… Charging speed and longevity has improved as well and is currently very good.
I suggest you actually read up before making an ass out of yourself.
My wife and I went to the Tesla Store in the Galleria Houston to sit in the just-arrived demonstration Model 3. We are not a reservation holder, but this car is a contender for replacement of our BMW 330e plug-in when the lease runs out in a little over 2 years. We replaced a 2014 i3 with the 330e because of the unsprung coal cart-like ride of the i3 over inner Houston’s potholed streets. Having now had both a dedicated electric car and a plug-in, I agree completely with your reservations about the compromises of “one platform”. The i3/330e is a dedicated in-town car (we have an X5 40e for intercity) and I complete almost all trips in full electric. With a 35 mi range (vs. 14) I would be able to do all trips in full electric. But to get the better ride of the 330e over the i3, I haul around a full ICE drivetrain. But, we have some observations about our sit-in time in the Model 3. 1) Wife doesn’t like all the controls in the screen. 2) Old-age arthritis means she has to use two hands to pop out the door handle and grasp the handle to open the door. That alone, is a disqualifier for her. 3) There is a sill I have to lift my legs over to get into the seat–almost like getting into the i8, but not that bad. I think this is a younger person’s car, as designed. Interestingly, when we stood in the line to sit in the Model 3 half of the other people in line were in our age group and all were reservation holders. It could be that retirees are the first group to appreciate the utility of an electric car and none of us are concerned with a nation-wide charging network. A lot of our friends own the Model S. Tesla should do some more market research outside California. My conclusion: Probably not a Model 3 for us. Staying with the Premium brands (of which I think Tesla is one), we’ll look forward to trying the all-electric XC40, iPace, Upcoming fully electric BMW 3 series and Audi’s. Unfortunately, I think all of those, except for the iPace, will be on a platform common to an ICE version. We’ll look at those in a plug-in version for our intercity car.
Notice the gap between the left headlight/fender vs the right?
The best entry level car, gas or electric. Remember when Acura in the 1980’s would roll the steel marble to show panel fits. The Big 3 stepped up their game. Tesla has accomplished so much in a short time from nothing. $$$$! Even other car companies are slow to electrify cuz of costs with all new R&D. A rocket man helping our future away from fossil fuels! This car is worth any wait, it is that special and unique especially all new tech at that price point!
Remember the 1960-70’s when GM stated, Americans will buy anything we make, let them find all the BUG’s! I had wood screws with me to fix all the squeaks and rattles. The 1 year, 12,000 mile warranty with your laundry list of problems. Cars have evolved.