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Tesla Model 3

Wednesday, Nov 08, 2023 12:00 AM

The most affordable Tesla yet is tempting on the face of it, so should you yield or resist? When Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning established Tesla Motors in 2003, with Elon Musk joining as chairman shortly after, the Tesla Model 3 was their ultimate goal. Namely, a low-cost, high-volume electric car with the kind of appeal that could wean us all off internal combustion for good. What they couldn't have imagined was the competition. Today's highly updated Model 3, often referred to as the 'Highland', goes toe-to-toe with major manufacturers, primarily in the form of the BMW i4 and Hyundai Ioniq 6. But upstarts such as the BYD Seal are also increasingly becoming sparring partners with the Texas-based firm.Musk would go on to oversee Tesla's design and development of the Lotus Elise-based Roadster (an example of which was recently used as a dummy payload for one of the Falcon Heavy test flights into space) and bring Tesla to the attention of the public.Deliveries for the Tesla Model S saloon then started in 2012 before the Tesla Model X SUV arrived a few years later. The Model 3 went on sale in 2017, before the Tesla Model Y joined it at the start of 2022. Since then, the Model 3 has grown into one of the most venerable electric cars on sale - a genuine game-changer that has gone on to become one of the best-selling cars in the UK.But as the number of electric cars on sale continues to grow, is the Tesla Model 3 still the ultimate choice for everyday electric driving? Find out below as we test drive the heavily updated Model 3.The range at a glanceSo far the range consists of just two models. The standard Rear-Wheel Drive with a WLTP range of 317 miles and a Long Range with 390 miles.The entry-level model starts from around £40,000. This unlocks the stellar electric range already mentioned, as well as a 245bhp powertrain that will complete the 0-62mph sprint in 6.1sec.The Long Range Tesla Model 3 ups the stakes to 351bhp, clocking 0-62mph in a sports car-baiting 4.4sec.Top-of-the-range Performance models have yet to be announced, but we expect them to arrive at a later date. 

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