Tesla’s big news: the base Model 3 electric sedan is finally available

Electric vehicle company Tesla says that the base version of the Model 3 electric sedan – the “mass market” version priced at $US35,000 ($A49,330 at current exchange rates) is finally available.

The announcement – heralded in typical Twitter fashion by CEO and founder Elon Musk – finally delivers on the promise made nearly three years ago that Tesla would be able to deliver its first “mass market” model. It is something Tesla’s legion of critics have said could never be done.

So far, only higher priced versions were available, although the price had gradually reduced from $US49,000 to $US42,000. Consumers, at least those in America, now have five versions of the Model 3 to choose from: Tesla has not only added a “Standard Range” and a “Standard Range Plus”.

This is also good news for prospective Australian customers, who should be able to start taking deliveries of the Model 3 mid year. Tesla has promised that all ranges available in the US will be made available in new right hand drive markets like the UK and Australia.

The Standard Range is available for $US35,000 ($A49,330 converted) before subsidies, has 220 miles (354km) of range, a top speed of 130mph (209km.hr) and acceleration from 0-60mph (96.5km) in 5.6 seconds.

Interior specs for the Standard Range Model 3 are:

• Black interior only
• Manual seat and steering adjustment
• Cloth seats and base trim
• Basic audio
• Standard maps and navigation
• Tinted glass roof with ultraviolet and infrared protection
• Auto dimming, power folding, heated side mirrors
• Music and media over Bluetooth®
• Custom driver profiles
• Center console with storage and 4 USB ports

The Standard Range Plus is available for $US37,000 ($A52,150 converted) before subsidies, has 240 miles (386km) of range, a top speed of 140mph (225km.hr) and acceleration from 0-60mph (96.5km) in 5.3 seconds.

Interior specs for the Standard Range Plus Model 3 are:

• Black or white interior (white is $US1,000 ($A1,409 converted) extra)
• 12-way power adjustable heated front seats
• Premium seat material and trim
• Upgraded audio – immersive sound
• Standard maps & navigation
• LED fog lamps
• Tinted glass roof with ultraviolet and infrared protection
• Auto dimming, power folding, heated side mirrors
• Music and media over Bluetooth®
• Custom driver profiles
• Center console with storage, 4 USB ports and docking for 2 smartphones

The standard paint colour for both is Solid Black, while Midnight Silver Metallic and Deep Blue Metallic are available for an additional  $US1,500 ($A2,114 converted).

Pearl White Multi-Coat is available for an extra $US2,000 ($A2,818) and red Multi-Coat for an extra $US2,500 ($A,3,523 converted).

Both are available with 18″ aero wheels or 19″ sport wheels for an additional $US1,500 ($A2,114 converted).

Actually ordering them however may prove a little difficult; with the whole world clearly overjoyed that CEO Elon Musk finally fulfilled his promise of the base Model 3, the whole site is going into meltdown.

Meanwhile, in Australia, it is a very different kettle of fish.

As antipodeans await the arrival of even the Long Range and Performance models that are expected to cost in excess of $A70,000, it would appear that for the time being at least, the Australian version of the site is inaccessible due to server overload.

With the Model 3 Long Range and Performance now available in China and Europe, and the UK configurator due within months, Australia can but sit patiently and wait, as usual, for the world to come to it.