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The long-awaited Tesla Model 3, worth $ 35,000, seemed to be a big step forward for the company in terms of making electric vehicles more accessible and affordable. And now it's not enough as accessible, suddenly. Tesla announced in a blog post that it no longer offers the $ 35,000 basic model online, like all other models 3, and that it also lacks some of the features that could have made the purchase of 3 model so attractive.
Tesla has hidden the bad news and news about his semi-autonomous autopilot system. If customers had previously to purchase the autopilot separately, all One of Tesla's car models will now be equipped with standard technology – and yes, this includes a general price increase for all Tesla vehicles. Tesla notes that the autopilot will now cost consumers less than when it was only an optional feature, but that they would still pay for the technology.
So, yes, this requires an increase in the price of this model 3.
Tesla has found a way around this, however. You will still be able to buy the standard $ 35,000 3 model, but you will not be able to do it easily. The car will no longer be available for online purchase. You will need to call Tesla or visit one of their dealers to place an order.
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The reasoning? Tesla claims that the Model 3 Standard Plus "sold at more than six times the rate" of the standard. Instead of continuing to build a standard, it will now become a "limited software" version of the Plus standard. The blog article states that the decision to limit the standard is a matter of cost optimization.
The blog post basically implies that it is cheaper for Tesla to manufacture the material of a basic Model 3 model and decide to lock or unlock its maximum range.
Here's what else you'll miss if you buy the limited software standard, published in Tesla's blog:
Its range will be limited to 10% and several features will be disabled via software (including our integrated music streaming service, live traffic viewing navigation and heated seats). Similar to other limited-software vehicles produced in the past, Standard customers will have the option to upgrade to a Standard Plus at any time. Similarly, anyone who has already purchased Standard Plus and wishing to upgrade to Standard is welcome, and we will refund the difference in cost.
The accessibility of this model 3 seemed to be an important advantage: it was a cheaper version of Tesla's most expensive cars, making it an option for anyone who wanted to switch to an electric car without sacrificing the spice of Tesla. Now all the features that make it so attractive – online shopping, decent range, Heated seats-Have been reduced to the standard.
And it's not that these things are not physically present in the car, because apparently they will be. You will only be able to use them if you pay.
The decision makes economic sense if Tesla sells more Standard Plus models than standard models. But that does not make it any less frustrating, especially when the news comes from a company that had previously promised one thing before delivering another.
Among the news of the standard model 3 were information on leasing. Starting today, April 12, Tesla customers will be able to lease any variant of Model 3 for "an annual mileage option of 10,000, 12,000 or 15,000 miles".
However, that too came with an interesting caveat:
Please note that guests who opt for renting rather than for the property will not have the option to buy their car at the end of the rental agreement because, with full autonomy coming via a live software update, we plan to use these vehicles in the Tesla network.
These are some of Tesla's "daring" movements, which will not be spared by a critical look. It's frustrating to see Tesla offer versions of its cars easily accessible and more affordable, and then add an additional obstacle to its acquisition.
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