Tesla Model 3 Gets Another Price Cut As The March Towards $35,000 Continues

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When Tesla CEO Elon Musk first announced the Model 3 over two years ago, he billed it as an "affordable" mainstream electric vehicle that would be available at a price of $35,000 before federal tax credits. More than a year after customers first starting taking deliveries of the Model 3, the mythical $35,000 Standard-Range model still isn't available. In fact, Tesla's website still lists it as being 4 to 6 months away.

The next best thing for customers is a price cut on the existing models, and that's just what Tesla did today. The company has cut prices across the board on the Model 3 by $1,100. This is after Tesla cut the price of the cheapest currently available Model 3 by $2,000 to $44,000 to start the new year. As of now, this is how the Model 3 family looks with regards to pricing:

  • Mid-Range Single Motor (264 miles): $42,900
  • Long-Range Dual Motor (310 miles): $49,900
  • Long-Range Dual Motor Performance (310 miles): $60,900

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The mid-range battery option is still priced $7,900 higher than the still unreleased Standard-Range model (220 miles), but we're getting closer.

We should mention that like its German counterparts, pricing for the Model 3 can escalate quickly once you start adding options. For example, those list prices are only applicable if you opt for a car painted in Black; any other color will cost extra. Midnight Silver and Deep Blue will cost you an extra $1,500, Pearl White costs $2,000 and Red Multicoat will set you back $2,500. 19-inch Sport wheels add $1,500, the white interior tacks on $1,000 and Enhanced Autopilot is $5,000.

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Tesla is still committed to bringing the $35,000 Model S to the market, and it could happen sometime this year. "Higher volume and manufacturing design improvements are crucial for Tesla to achieve the economies of scale required to manufacture the standard range (220 mile), standard interior Model 3 at $35k and still be a viable company," said Musk in a January 18thcompany update. "There isn't any other way."

As Tesla has mostly filled its backlog of Model 3 orders in the United States, the company has since focused the bulk of its production on the Chinese and European markets.