European drivers can soon add the Tesla Model 3 to their short-list of electric vehicles to buy, after the mass-market EV gained approval for sale in the EU via the Dutch vehicle authority RDW.
It’s a critical step that signals the EV maker’s best-selling model can now be sold in the European Union, and will bring considerable competition to European brands such as BMW and Volkswagen that currently dominate the local EV market.
The first variants to reach the European market will be the longer range dual-motor Model 3 with 74kWh battery and 544km range (WLTP), and the performance model with 530km (WLTP) range.
Tesla announced the pricing for both models in December 2018, giving Europeans the go ahead to pre-order right-hand drive vehicles via their local Tesla website.
At the time, a spokesperson for the EV maker said that if ordered by January 1st, 2019, customers could expected to see delivery starting in February.
Tesla further opened up its configurator for left-hand drive vehicles in Europe on January 4th, 2019.
Model 3 configurator is now open to left-hand drive countries in Europe. Design your Model 3
— Tesla (@Tesla) January 4, 2019
Tesla has now also held out another carrot for European customers, posting an image on social media channel Twitter of new Model 3s fresh off the production line ready to be shipped to Europe.
European Model 3s off the production line. Design yours at https://t.co/7Ol1BvJoj8 pic.twitter.com/7PouXWbwGz
— Tesla (@Tesla) January 21, 2019
The Californian EV maker also shared on Twitter that all European Model 3s will sport a CCS2 charging port.
— Tesla (@Tesla) January 21, 2019
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.