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Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus Dropped, Please Welcome the Tesla Model 3

No stranger to unwarranted changes, Tesla has dropped the Model 3 Standard Range Plus for the Model 3. That’s how the base variant is now called as per the online configurator, which lists it with rear-wheel drive for the princely retail price of $43,990 sans taxes and potential savings.
2021 Tesla Model 3 configurator on October 2nd, 2021 21 photos
Photo: Tesla
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Colloquially known as the RWD, the successor of the SR+ flaunts 272 miles (438 kilometers) of driving range, a top speed of 140 miles per hour (225 kilometers per hour), and 5.8 seconds from zero to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour). Over in Germany, the base specification is boasting a WLTP driving range of 491 kilometers (305 miles) at €41,990 ($48,620).

If you know your Teslas well, you may have noticed a slight bump in driving range and a slight penalty in terms of acceleration. The 60-mph time took a 0.5-second nosedive, most likely due to Tesla’s global switch to the LFP battery chemistry in standard-range vehicles. LFP stands for lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, a chemistry that’s cheaper than nickel-cobalt-aluminum batteries. Most LFP cathode manufacturing takes place in China, and coincidentally, Tesla produces LFP-equipped cars at Giga Shanghai.

The world’s top suppliers of LFP battery cells are Chinese companies CATL and BYD. In addition to being cheaper to manufacture, LFP is more stable - therefore safer - as well. On the other hand, LFPs are not as energy-dense as NCAs and they’re affected by cold weather to a greater degree.

As ever, the Model 3 comes standard with Pearl White Multi-Coat paintwork and four optional colors that cost either $1,000 or $2,000 extra. Upgrading from 18- to 19-inch wheels adds $1,500 to the tally while the driving range drops to 267 miles (430 kilometers) for the U.S. model. The black-and-white interior is priced at $1,000, and Full Self-Driving Capability takes the cake at $10,000 despite its deceptive name. To whom it may concern, Autopilot with Full-Self Driving Capability is considered an SAE Level 2 system.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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