Elon Musk, Founder & CEO Tesla Motors, handed over the Model 3 to its first 30 buyers on 29th July at an event in Fremont, California. Priced at $ 35,000, the Tesla Model 3 electric sedan is the first mass market product from the American carmaker. Production of the small electric car will be increased gradually from 100 units in August to over 1500 units in September and by 20,000 units in December this year. However, the battery cell production is already underway at the carmaker’s gigafactory in Nevada. In order to increase the production of the all-new Tesla Model 3, the American electric car manufacturer will raise $1.4 billion (Rs 6,740 crore approx.) capital fund. The company is also planning to setup a wide Supercharger network across the country.
Touted as Tesla’s most affordable electric sedan, the Model 3 first broke cover on 31st March at an event in Los Angeles. The Tesla Model 3 will be the first electric car from the US-based electric car giant in India. While this electric sport saloon will first go on sale in US market, its India launch will take place in the second half of the next year. Elon Musk had confirmed that the Model 3 electric sedan will also be introduced in other developing nations including Brazil, New Zealand, South Korea, South Africa, Ireland and Singapore.
Since its unveiling, the Model 3 has been receiving an outstanding response from buyers across the global. And proof of this lies in the fact that the sedan had registered over 3 lakh bookings within first week of its world debut. Recently, Musk revealed that the company has received over half of million bookings from about 3,73,000 disclosed in April 2016. Deliveries for the sedan will begin towards the end of 2018. The company has spent over $2 billion in cash so far this year ahead of the launch.
Tesla claims that the Model 3 has a new structure, new battery architecture and new motor technology. The sedan’s coupe-like rear design is heavily inspired by the Model X. Power source for the new Tesla car is a 60kw hour lithium-ion battery pack, supported by RWD (rear-wheel-drive) and AWD (all-wheel-drive) system. Tesla’s Autopilot self-driving feature is standard across the carline.
Tesla Model 3 India Launch
Electric car major had promised to enter in the Indian market with Model 3 during this summer. However, the company has missed the deadline and currently in talks with the Indian government to reduce the import duties on the local factory setup. The volume production of the Model 3 will begin in September this year. This luxury electric sedan will hit the Indian shores in the second half of the next year. Read – Tesla Model X Becomes The Safest SUV
Tesla Model 3 Price in India
| Expected Price | Rs 35 lakh (approx.) |
With the all-new Model 3 electric car, Tesla Motors will enter in the Indian market. This will be the first and the most affordable sedan from the American carmaker in the country. Tesla has designed the Model 3 in such a way that the company can produce the vehicle quickly while keeping the cost under check. Price of the US-spec model is USD 35,000, while the India-bound model could be more expensive due to GST tax on completely built up units (CBUs). Currently, the luxury cars are attracting 28% GST and a maximum cess of 15%, thus making a total of 43%. This might make the Model 3 a costly deal in the country. If things go well, we expect this electric sport sedan to be priced around Rs 35 lakh in India. Read – Elon Musk’s ‘Master Plan Part Deux’ for Tesla: A Brief Explanation
Tesla Model 3 Picture Gallery
Tesla Model 3 India Bookings
Online bookings for the Tesla Model 3 were commenced an hour before its world premiere on March 31, 2016. One can pre-book the vehicle by paying an initial sum of USD 1,000. Interestingly, people across the globe are visiting Tesla showrooms to enquire about the product. In fact, the company received 3.73 lakh pre-orders for the Model 3 in the very first week of its first public appearance. Musk has confirmed that the sedan’s bookings cross over half a million up from about 3.73 lakh disclosed in April previous year. Customers are pre-booking the sedan by paying $1,000 refundable deposits, which is eligible for tax credits. He has also confirmed that deliveries of the car will be commenced by the end of 2018. Read – GOV to Elon Musk: Tesla Doesn’t Require Local Parts to ‘Make in India’
Tesla Model 3 India Specifications
| Engine | 60kw hour lithium-ion battery pack |
| Range | 300kms per charge |
| Acceleration (0-97kmph) | 4 seconds |
| Drivetrain System | RWD & AWD |
At the heart of the Tesla Model 3 is a 60kw hour lithium-ion battery pack with an electric range of 215kms per charge. This powerplant has already been used on the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt. With a power of 7,200 Superchargers, the Model 3 can do 97kmph from standstill in 4 seconds and 0-60mph in 6 seconds. Both RWD (rear wheel drive) and AWD (all-wheel drive) system will be made available on the sedan.
Tesla Model 3 India Features
Exterior
Smooth character lines
Panoramic glass roof
Sporty alloy wheels
Large windshields
LED fog lamps
LED tail lamps
Auto dimming, power folding, heated side mirrors
Tinted glass roof with ultraviolet and infrared protection
Interior
15-inch touchscreen with onboard maps & navigation
Wi-Fi and LTE internet connectivity
Dual zone climate control system
FM/Internet streaming radio
Textile seating
Center console with open storage and two USB ports
Voice activated controls
60/40 split folding rear seats
Keyless entry and remote climate control with app
Premium heated seating and cabin materials throughout
Audio system with more power, tweeters, surround speakers and subwoofer
12-way, power adjustable front seats, steering column and side mirrors, with custom driver profiles
Safety Features
Eight airbags
Automatic emergency braking and collision avoidance
Electronic stability and traction control
Tesla Model 3 India Exterior
Most of the design elements of the all-new Tesla Model 3 are carried over from the Model S. Especially the side and rear design of the car shares strong resemblance with the donor sibling. The saloon gets a tinted sunroof with ultraviolet and infrared protection and bobbed bonnet and tail. Its sloppy panoramic glass roof is made of the same glass used for roof tiles. The car could be offered with multiple center roof panel options – metal (standard), roof rack, glass and possibly solar. In terms of dimensions, however, it’s about 20% smaller than its donor sibling. The blunt upturned snout seems borrowed from the Model X. It also gets LED fog lamps and auto dimming power folding, heated side mirrors.
Towards the side, the car receives large carbon-fiber-accented wheels with matte paint scheme. Other design elements include large windshields, LED tail lamps, etc. Unlike its prototype, the production version of the Model 3 features a black chrome grille. While the Model S and Model X are made up of premium quality aluminium, the Model 3 will have a mix of steel and aluminium. This will help the carmaker curb its price. In terms of proportions, the new Tesla electric car will measure around 4694mm in length, 1885mm in width and 1435mm in height. Its wheelbase could be around 2870mm. The damping duties on the car are likely to be carried out by active air suspension unit.
Tesla Model 3 India Interior
Ditching Tesla’s conventional 17-inch portrait touchscreen, the Model 3 features a dashboard integrated 15-inch landscape touchscreen with onboard maps and navigation. This display shows speed and gear selection in the upper corner, and climate control at the bottom side. The interior will be vegan-friendly that means it will have no leather inside the cabin. The rear seat occupants might be offered with some additional legroom as the electric drive system doesn’t require transmission tunnel. This arrangement saves hump space in the middle of the floor. The front seats will be 12-way power adjustable. The tall side glass indicates that there will be generous headroom for occupants. It will come with 60/40 split fold-down rear seats configuration.
Other key features include dual zone climate control system, center console with open storage and two USB ports, FL/internet steaming radio, Wi-Fi and LTE internet connectivity, voice activated controls, keyless entry and remote climate control with app, power adjustable steering column and premium audio system with more surround speakers, subwoofers and tweeters. With respect to safety, the Model 3 equips with 8 airbags, electronic stability, traction control and automatic emergency braking and collision avoidance. The Autopilot self-driving feature will come as standard active safety feature.
Tesla Model 3 Warranty
Similar to the Model S, Tesla will offer the Model 3 with the standard 8 year, 100,000mile, transferable warranty on the battery. The long range warrant will be 8 year, 120,000 mile. The vehicle will come with the limited warranty of 4 year, 50,000 mile.
