Tesla has been touting the Model 3’s $35,000 price tag for years but the truth is, you still can’t get one for anywhere near that.
Instead, the car launched with the optional long-range battery which enables the Model 3 to travel 310 miles (498 km) on a single charge. This is a significant improvement over the base model – which can only travel 220 miles (354 km) between charges – but it raises the price of the Model 3 by nearly $9,000. This makes the car more expensive than rivals such as the Chevrolet Bolt and Nissan Leaf.
Unfortunately, fans looking to get their hands on the base model are in for a bit of a wait as Car and Driver reports the entry-level Model 3 has been pushed back to “late 2018.” As a result, it is scheduled to arrive after the all-wheel drive variant which is pegged for the middle of this year.