The revolution continues and it's still electric: Tesla Model 3 has been announced for 2017 with prices starting at $35,000.Tesla is unarguably producing the most high-tech electric vehicles out there right now, and at their latest event in California they announced the future of Tesla cars: the Model 3. This model will pack the latest and greatest Tesla has to offer right now, and some of the details in the announcement sound too good to be true:
While the existing Model X and Model S have a 17-inch portrait touchscreen in the middle of the console, the new Model 3 will have a slightly smaller screen (just 15 inches), and it’s landscape.What stands out to me is that it’s not integrated with the rest of the dashboard. The screen looks like you bolted it on there - and oddly enough it’s not a bad thing, it actually looks great! Here’s a photo that a lucky guy took while riding in one at the launch event:
- $35,000 price tag. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that you can’t buy a better car for this money, even with no extra options bundled up. Bold statement, but knowing the pure excitement these cars squeeze from their owners, it’s not impossible.
- 215 mile minimum range. This is smaller than the one on current Tesla models, but we’re talking about a cheaper, more accessible car that hopes to make the masses fall in love with electric vehicles. This should be more than enough for a city car, and with supercharger support included you should be good to go for longer trips.
- 80% charge in less than 30 minutes. This is not new, as the current Model S has pretty much the same numbers.
- 0-60mph in just under 6 seconds. We’re leaving the “city car” domain here; this is a purebreed sports car.
The gadgets of the futuristic Model 3
Once you climb inside a Model 3 you’ll be greeted by the latest tech in the business. And unlike what sci-fi movies in the ‘80s told us, there won’t be a plane’s cockpit filled with thousands of buttons and knobs. In fact, it’s much more minimalist and clean. Just take a look:
While the existing Model X and Model S have a 17-inch portrait touchscreen in the middle of the console, the new Model 3 will have a slightly smaller screen (just 15 inches), and it’s landscape.What stands out to me is that it’s not integrated with the rest of the dashboard. The screen looks like you bolted it on there - and oddly enough it’s not a bad thing, it actually looks great! Here’s a photo that a lucky guy took while riding in one at the launch event:Notice anything weird about the car’s interior? Anything… missing?If you guessed “there’s no speedometer” you’re right. The whole area behind the steering wheel is blank, and everything that would be there is contained in the touchscreen at the middle of the dashboard. It’s unclear whether this will still be the case in 2017, the time when these cars will first start rolling out the factories.It’s still too early too tell what the final bells and whistles will be like on the car once it’s launched, but it’s safe to say that the features from current models will be carried over: the fantastic autopilot system, the safety systems - Elon Musk said this will be the one of the safest cars money can buy - and the ambiance options.Here's a quick photo of the center touchscreen in the Model 3. Speedometer is in the upper-left. pic.twitter.com/AovzQh1mRW
— Tim Stevens (@Tim_Stevens) April 1, 2016