Tesla settles range anxiety on Model 3, but Australia will have to wait

tesla model 3.

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk on Friday (Saturday, Australian time) unveiled the full specifications and pricing of the new Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle, revealing that the base model will have a range of 354km, while a pricier version would have a range of nearly 500kms.

The first 30 Model 3’s – dubbed the first mass-market electric car, and yet another major step towards the death of the petrol car – were delivered to their owners at a lavish ceremony on Friday night.

But while the issue around range anxiety was settled, potential Australian customers were delivered a blow with news that the first Model 3 EVs will not be delivered until 2019 – extending the drought of EV options plaguing the country.

The standard Model 3, with 220 mile range (354kms), and 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds, wills sell for $US35,000, while the model with a 310 mile range (498kms) and 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds, will retail for $US44,000 – reflecting the bigger battery.

“You will not find another car either gasoline or electric car that is anywhere near as great,” Musk said at the opening.

There is as yet no news on the pricing for Australian customers, but it equates to $A44,000 and $A55,000 at current rates – and that is before add-ons and transport costs. The equation is likely to move before 2019.

And while 30 lucky people got their cars today, many others on the waiting list of more than half a million will have to wait at least a year. Musk says that people who order now will not likely get the car until late in 2018.

The company plans to ramp up production to 5,000 a week by the end of this year, and 10,000 a week by the end of 2018, but Musk warned that with 10,000 parts sourced from numerous suppliers, production could only go as quickly as the slowest part.

“We are going to be in production hell. For at least 6 months, maybe longer,” Musk said. “We are building the cars as fast as we can.”

Musk said the Model 3 EVs, like the Model S and the Model X, were equipped for full autonomous driving – although this would not necessarily be allowed by authorities until the technology is further refined.

This included 8 cameras, 12 ultra sonic sonars, and 4 radars.”You wont need to look at instrument panel all that often,” Musk said. “You will be able to watch movies, talk to friends, go to sleep.”

The full specifications can be found here.

He also said the Model 3 was now the safest car in the world, and showed tests that showed far greater structural resistance than the current market leader, Volvo. “Volvo is now the second safest car in the world,” Musk said.

Tesla has tweeted some of the details of what it looks like inside, see here.

He also said the company would treble the number of super chargers around the world by 2018.

The long-awaited unveiling of the Model 3 and its first deliveries comes in the same week that the UK announced it would ban all sales of petrol and diesel cars by 2045, following a similar move by France.

Norway and the nNetherlands will have bans in place by 2025 (42 per cent of all new vehicle sales in Norway are now electric), while India is aiming for no new diesel or petrol car sales by 2030, and China – the biggest car market in the world – is aiming for 12 per cent of all sales to be electric by 2020.

 

 

 

 

Comments

18 responses to “Tesla settles range anxiety on Model 3, but Australia will have to wait”

  1. Charles Avatar
    Charles

    Also noted is the fact that right-hand drive markets will not see the car until at least 2019! Oh well, by then I might be able to afford it 🙂

  2. Brunel Avatar
    Brunel

    354 km? 200 km will do me.

    1. Chris Marshalk Avatar
      Chris Marshalk

      It’s more than enough. I’ll wait another 5 years before I dump my 2014 ford titanium. Go EVS. Great times.

  3. Damien van Hoogen van Avatar
    Damien van Hoogen van

    The range is perfect for me. I’m 130km from Melbourne, so it is nice to be able to drive there and back, and still have a margin for capacity degradation. 44k seems like a reasonable price too.Of course its 34,000 dollar more than I have ever spent on a car; sigh, maybe one day

    1. Dennis Kavanagh Avatar
      Dennis Kavanagh

      The price in Australia for the base Model 3 will be in the range between $55,000 and $60,000. People should stop thinking that it will be anything less as they will be very disappointed later on.

  4. Trent Deverell Avatar
    Trent Deverell

    Fitting a tow-ball and marketing an Energy Trailer with plug-in capability for home solar systems, would kill two birds with one stone…. petrol beating range, and a way the circumvent the proposed stupidity with home energy storage rules in Australia, whilst benefiting from massive battery storage whilst the parked at home..

    1. Miles Harding Avatar
      Miles Harding

      Not a silly idea at all.

      One of the AEVA members, Glen George, did just this in 2011 – driving a converted MG TF around australia. For the longer legs, he towed a box trailer full of battery.

      Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvQVGzPH0WM
      of his arrival back at Parliament House Perth.

    2. Brian Tehan Avatar
      Brian Tehan

      I saw a Mitsubishi PHEV with a trailer filled with pv at the ATA electric vehicles show a few years back.

  5. Robert Comerford Avatar
    Robert Comerford

    220 mile range when there are fast chargers wherever I need them would do it for me. Maybe when such a charging network is in place I might be able to afford a rhd s/h Tesla. :>)
    I wish them success.

    1. Rob Avatar
      Rob

      I’m with you Robert, we need the fast charger network then it’s full steam ahead.

  6. Phil Avatar
    Phil

    EV’s will no doubt become the logical 2ND vehicle and even 1ST for many once the cost of ownership is lower than ICE technology

    Until then ICE or hybrid is the only option where long range , towing , 1 tonne payload and off road is needed

    It will be some time before they replace the ubiquitous Hilux or Landcruiser with a roo bar attached. However with the prices that they sell for TODAY it cant be far off.They just need to also match the long term durability

  7. Miles Harding Avatar
    Miles Harding

    Musk did say that, even the base model would be a great car.

    Another Model T echo:
    According to the specs link, the base is only available in Black!
    (other colours are +$1000)

    1. ASG Avatar
      ASG

      Hope they rethink that for Australia…

  8. MaxG Avatar
    MaxG

    Gives me time to go and earn the cash for the model 3 — loving all of it; the man, the company, the cars, their mission and vision.
    Any will other countries already have 42% of new car4 sales being EV; AU is putting an import tax on it — what a bunch of fools we are… and the leadership does not deserve the title.

  9. DevMac Avatar
    DevMac

    2019 for electric cars is going to be like 2015 for streaming.

    Prior to 2015 there were very few over-priced, sub-standard or niche-only options for streaming. Once Netflix hit out shores we were suddenly flooded with options, all trying to compete with Netflix where they were all too scared to launch anything into the “marketing void” that existed prior to Netflix’s arrival.

    The same will happen with EV’s in 2019, no one will take the initiative prior, but neither will they let Tesla have the market to themselves, like Telstra following Optus down the street rolling out HFC. Weak leadership versus strong leadership.

  10. Michael Dufty Avatar
    Michael Dufty

    The early 2019 date for Australia was actually sooner than I expected, based on what they have said previously about expected availability.

  11. Rob Avatar
    Rob

    Maybe it’s time we changed to Left Hand Drive…. and EVs…… and became a Republic …..and stopped all forms of political donation. Get that done could you Malcolm!

    1. George Darroch Avatar
      George Darroch

      Ha! And end daylight savings while you’re at it.

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