Today, Tesla hit the table, announcing a price drop on the Tesla Model 3, its flagship car. A decision that makes the most popular electric car on the planet even more attractive; we have no doubt that sales will improve as a result.
[El nuevo cargador de Tesla no es para el coche, sino para tu móvil, y ya se puede comprar]
It is especially important that Tesla finally falls below the psychological bar of 40,000 dollars, which until now was its “peak”; the basic version of the Model 3 now costs 39,990 dollars, a figure that can drop to 32,990 dollars if the MOVES III plan is applied. The rest of the models are also falling in price, and the Grande Autonomie now costs 49,990 dollars and the Performance, 53,990 dollars. The rest of the range gets even bigger cuts, but the Model 3 understandably got the most attention for being the most affordable.
These are very good numbers and they can take you to the Tesla page as soon as you know them. And we don’t blame you, because the Model 3 was already highly recommended if we wanted to make the jump to electric cars. However, you might want to at least think about it before buying anything.
We have to ask ourselves a very basic question, but one that many people forget when buying a product: why has the price dropped so much? It’s not that Elon Musk decided to lose money on purpose, it’s that he had no choice.
There are already alternatives to the Tesla Model 3
For starters, the market is very different from where the Model 3 was first introduced: there are now plenty of other alternatives, and in some cases, even better ones. Gone are the days when Tesla was synonymous with electric cars, and that’s a good thing; now that the “mainstream” brands are catching up with Tesla, we can do a real comparison and not accept Tesla’s model simply because it is the only competent one on the market.
Before I talked about the barrier of 40,000 dollars, and it is no coincidence that the reduction has put the price just below: this is the price that many alternatives to the Model 3 have. Recently, indeed, the Hyundai IONIQ 6, an electric sedan with a very futuristic and elegant design, and with a range of up to 614 kilometers with a charge in the WLTP cycle. His price? Part of the 40,210 dollars, so he would have left “in evidence” the basic Model 3 which cost 46,200 dollars. But not anymore.
We don’t think it’s a coincidence that the new Model 3 price is just below this new Hyundai car, as it may be one of the big rivals it has in the Spanish market . And it’s not the only one.
Most of the popular brands in Europe are already starting to offer electric models that cost around 40,000 dollars, sometimes even less. The Renault Megane E-Tech, for example, is a very recognizable name and although the format is not the same (it’s more of an SUV), the price is very similar, starting at 42,912 dollars. And if you’re looking for something smaller, you’ve got it “local”: Seat-owned Cupra offers the Cupra Born for 40,100 dollars, and it seems to honor the brand’s sporting spirit.
It is true that there is still a lot to improve in this price range, still mainly composed of low-end models that have been electrified. But it is undeniable that there are already models capable of facing the Model 3, more modern and with comparable autonomy.
The Model 3 is no longer new
And that brings us to the second motivation behind the price drop: the Model 3 is no longer a new car. Although it was very advanced when it launched in 2017, at this point features such as the gigantic screen inside, the driving aids or the design are not so special anymore.
This is why Tesla may be preparing a new version of the Model 3, what is known in the industry as a “restyling”. That is, it would not be a completely new car, but would receive aesthetic and technical modifications to modernize it and adapt it to new trends.
The alleged “restyling” of the Tesla Model 3
A similar restyling was leaked on Reddit and, while Tesla hasn’t confirmed it’s real, if it is, that could explain the sudden price drop. After all, Tesla doesn’t want to stick with old units and should get rid of them before introducing the new version, which will likely have a new price tag.
The filtered photo shows a somewhat different Model 3, with a more aggressive and sporty design at the front thanks to new headlights and a new bonnet; Obviously, the photo tells us nothing about other possible technical changes, such as new batteries or new motors, but rumors indicate that it will be.
Indeed, Tesla has been doing tests on public roads with camouflaged cars for a few months, and it is an open secret that it is preparing a review of one of its cars. Therefore, if you buy a Model 3 now, you should do so with the possibility that a new, more attractive and modern version will come out in a few months.
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