[ad_1]
It is fair to say that we have a little history with Tesla Model 3. Five years ago, Elon Musk revealed to Auto Express the name of the new small model of his company. So we were the first to tell the world of the model. 3 imminent arrival.
Now, after more time than we all hoped, we drove it to the UK for the first time, before cars reached enthusiastic customers in a few months.
• Best electric cars on sale
Our disc coincides with the posting on the Tesla website of the British Model Configurator 3, as well as the announcement of the awards. The three-vehicle range starts at £ 39,800 for the Standard Plus rear-wheel drive range and has a mileage rating of 258 miles tested to WLTP standards, reaching £ 56,900 for the Performance model with a travel time of 3.2 seconds at range of 329 miles.
The car we drive is the car we drive, the Long Range AWD, which is aptly named. In this case, it is a left-handed model, which is otherwise mechanically identical to the British car.
It costs £ 47,900 and extends into the claimed range at 345 km. It is still quite fast with its 362 horsepower double engines giving a time of 0 to 60 km / h of 4.5 seconds.
Last year, we drove the Model 3 in the US and we were very impressed, but the challenge is different on the British roads and, in no time, the electric vehicle market has evolved with new models to challenge Tesla.
Model 3 can only be a Tesla – its slippery shape looks a lot like a shrunken S-model, but it's more cute. You'll be surprised at how compact it is in metal, even if its length is 4,690 mm, actually 57 mm more than a BMW 3 Series. The large surface area of the side windows helps to hide the size of the car, just like the short front and rear overhangs that are really stocky.
There is no traditional grille – as is the case in the latest S and X models – with air vents under the license plate and nice details in narrower headlights than those of the three older brothers and sisters. It's definitely a puzzle.
But it is the interior that causes the greatest grief, especially because of the bright white leather seats in our test car, with a matching insert across the width of the dashboard and on the door panels.
If that strikes you, it's far from being as telling as what's watching you from the dashboard – just two things: a 15-inch thin, crystalline touch screen in the center of the dashboard and a flying with only two buttons and some stems behind. That's all. No other buttons, switches, vents, displays – nothing.
• Could you live with an electric car?
It takes minimalism to a new level; Hot or cold air goes through what looks like a thin slot that also covers the entire width of the dashboard above the white panel and behind the screen, while even the smartphone jacks (four in total) and storage space are hidden behind glossy black panels center console.
Just about everything is controlled by the touch screen with a series of items from the main menu at the bottom. The two steering wheel buttons facilitate audio and standard autopilot functions, and also activate voice control.
As expected from Tesla, this is not the end of innovation. Your smartphone is the key (finally!), Although there is also an alternative to the credit card format. And no start button – the car knows when your phone or this card is inside and will just let you right-click to select the drive and leave.
This is where the fun continues – you just can not help it, such instant force is available every time you touch the accelerator pedal. This can make the flip, in particular, a little jerky until you learn to modulate things (or you can select the chill mode for acceleration), but that's it at all. stop or at highway speeds, acceleration is a pleasant and rewarding experience that puts far more expensive performance machines to shame.
Of course, all this performance is accompanied by almost silence. A slight moaning of both Long Range model electric motors (one at the front and one at the rear axle for a four-wheel drive transmission) is more noticeable than in an S model – this model is cheaper after all – and our car had some wind noise around the mirrors. Apart from a little noise from the road, the silence is impressive. You will be able to take full advantage of the striking and standard surround sound system with 14 speakers.
If we had a problem with the transition from US Model 3 to the UK, it was with the trip. Do not worry. Yes, it's firm – more for rear passengers than for front-seat passengers – but if you're in constant contact with the road surface, it's easy to forget. It is better to describe it as sporty.
Its weight of 1,847 kg – more than 300 kg more than that of a BMW 320d, mainly because of its battery of 75 kWh – means that one will also feel different on the road. It has not really changed direction with the liveliness of a Series 3, but it remains flat (a weight advantage) and offers good grip.
The management has the settings Comfort, Standard and Sport, but we would leave it in Standard where the atmosphere is pleasant, even if it is not the most reactive system that we have experienced.
In short, the most fun of Model 3 comes from acceleration – and it's addictive. The passengers will also benefit, and there is a good margin for the knees in the back, a very good height under the glass roof, but the space for the feet is a little narrow.
The opening of the boot is a bit fair too, but the space is ok and surprisingly deep. Combine it with the room in the "frunk" (Califonian-ese for the front trunk – we should call it a froot) and you get a total of 425 liters for luggage.
Back on the front seat and on this screen – is it easy to use on the go? Surprisingly easy, actually. The key information is next to the driver with the speed at the top – not too far from the natural eye line when driving.
Either way, you will not handle most of the settings on the move – although adjusting mirrors with a combination of screen and steering wheel buttons is not the easiest way to use – but it's quick and easy to get used to using the system and the voice command work well.
For a technology-savvy company, it's a bit strange that you can not get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone orders. Tesla obviously thinks that his proprietary system is pretty good.
He leads in other areas, however. Each model 3 comes with the autopilot as standard; double-click on the right lever to enable adaptive control of speed and lane keeping, while the myriad of sensors monitor what's happening around the car and transmit information to the screen , even showing the size of the vehicles around you. This means that you can indicate that you are using the autopilot and that the car will decide when to change lanes and perform the maneuver for you.
It's the most intuitive stand-alone technology you can currently get in a car and will be updated as Tesla gets a software update. Radio over-the-air updates for all car control and infotainment systems are free (and regular), although you have to pay for instant Internet access starting in the first year.
Model 3 customers will also pay for access to Tesla's extensive Supercharger network, although the new car is compatible with the CCS load, opening up other DC fast charge networks to homeowners.
Tesla is a company that never loses the news and where we often pose quality problems, especially because of the pace with which it builds models 3. But our test car was impressive: the materials have the air and the feeling of being elegant, there were no squeaks or rattles and, frankly, the cabin is so minimalist that there is not much thing to do to be wrong.
[ad_2]
Source link