Once again, Tesla shocks the Model 3 community with a change that doesn’t make sense. The Long Range with rear-wheel drive is no longer available to order, one of the best propositions in the lineup.
Customers on a budget are treated to the Model 3 Standard Range Plus with rear-wheel-drive, and that’s a bit of a shame if you remember that Tesla no longer offers the Model 3 Standard Range online. As a consequence of these changes, only the Long Range and Performance are available with all-wheel drive.
It isn’t known if this change is temporary, but Tesla did mention the Fremont plant “immediately halted” production for some reason or another. “Next week, we will inform you of the orders we can no longer deliver and the alternative we can offer,” said the Palo Alto-based automaker in an e-mailed statement.
If you’re looking for a reason, Tesla might’ve switched to all-wheel drive for the Long Range because the profit margin is higher. In terms of acceleration to 60 miles per hour, the rear- and all-wheel drive are extremely close. The difference boils down to five-tenths of a second (4.9 versus 4.4 seconds), and pricing starts at $49,000 before savings for the dual-motor option.
The Performance is $59,900 in the United Statesof America, and at the other end of the spectrum, the Standard Range Plus retails at $39,900. Both the Long Range and Performance promise 310 miles, the distance from Washington D.C. to Niles, Ohio. Not bad for an electric vehicle, but there’s room for improvement.
As far as Tesla is concerned, the Model S is king thanks to a maximum range of 370 miles. A refresh is coming for the 2020 model year, and chances are the Model S could get even better. The Model X is capable of up to 325 miles, and similarly to the sedan, the full-size crossover utility vehicle takes its mojo from a 100-kWh battery pack.
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. Full profile
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