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Tesla Removes Affordable Model 3 Variant From Website

Shoppers perusing Tesla’s website will no longer find the affordable Model 3 variant listed as an option. The Model 3 Short Range option, which boasts the advertised $35,000 price tag, will now launch in six to nine months.

Ars Technica reported on last Friday that the car disappeared from the website, but the electric-car maker responded and said plans haven’t changed to roll out the more affordable electric car in the near future. The news leaves the Model 3 Long Range with a premium interior option as the least-expensive Model 3 electric car at $49,000.

Tesla said the company wants to focus on the vehicles that are available currently when it was asked why the Model 3 Short Range was removed from the website. The company has worked tirelessly to produce 5,000 units per week and ramp up production of the electric car. Now, the more affordable Model 3 is expected in six to nine months.

In the meantime, it only gives the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV more cover. The Bolt EV starts at $37,495 before federal tax credits. And soon, Tesla buyers will not receive federal tax credits at all; Tesla became the first automaker to reach the 200,000-car threshold for the tax credits.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. Tesla seems like a crooked company

    Reply
    1. I can assure you that it is not. Just plain facts.

      Reply
  2. There was never going to be a $35K model.

    Even when Musk admitted when pushed the price would be higher by the time production came about on the $35K price.

    Price as much as release dates were in accurate from the start.

    It things get worse I can only imagine what Musk will say or do. He has attacked GM, a hero diver and claims sleeping on the floor unites his work force to him. And we are letting this guy shoot rockets?

    Reply
    1. I need to correct you on one thing, it was always understood from the get go that the $35k base Model 3 was never going to be the first version to roll off the assembly line. The most expensive versions are going to be produced first in order to keep production costs down and to simplify the line. The more variations you add to the assembly line, the more time it will take to efficiently produce a vehicle. The main focus was always produce the most expensive with least amount of variables first then trickle down to the base model.

      Reply
      1. According to the first media coverage yes the more expensive cars were going to be built first.

        But Musk even admitted that the $35k car may be more by the time it came to market but only a few news outlets reported it at the time.

        The media liked to gloss over that as they seldom questioned Elon and his statements.

        While fake news can be debated with some topics it has been alive and well with Tesla.

        Just recent reports like the one where they claim the Tesla 3 is a highly profitable car. Well till you read the story the bury the fact they are speaking about EV cars not all cars as being profitsble.

        Well duh. You sell a Cruze sized car for three times the cost you should be very profitable.

        The real issue is this it is easy to over charge on a car and if you can get it more power to you. But it is difficult to do as GM try to make a good EV at a price more people can afford.

        The difference here is Musk is playing a survival game where GM is just playing the long game of building a market and growing volume over time because they can afford to.

        The bottom line is Musk needs money and a lot of it. His volume is not going to do it so higher priced models will carry the load. But will that be enough?

        It is getting more and more unlikely new models will appear till the 3 provides the capital and right now it is having trouble paying just to get the remaining pre sold models build that have not been canceled.

        Reply
  3. I agree with you, Scott3 — the talk about a $35k model was just a big tease; it’s obvious Musk is now trying to bring in as much cash as possible. By the time he can even pretend to start shifting his attention to the “starting at” end of the price range on Model 3s (=6-9 months, according to the latest), the credits will be all spent up, so the price will be much higher than that. – But he sure likes the attention!

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  4. The Tesla 3 for $35,000 was imaginary.
    Tesla is not a brand for the middle class or blue collar consumer.

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  5. Come on, this is GM Authority. When did this become a center for misinformed Tesla hit pieces? I would like to read GM-related news here.

    Reply
    1. 1) Musk made it GM news when he verbally attacked GM execs. 2) No one made you click on the article and ask the question, “When did this become a center for misinformed Tesla hit pieces?”. 3) Why is it a misinformed Tesla hit piece?

      Reply
  6. Hmmm. Would you really want $50,000+ car assembled in a tent in a parking lot by overextended workers? Just asking.

    Reply

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