The Tesla Model 3 promises to be one of the most efficient electric cars made in the last decade. However, production bottlenecks may not keep up with the demand of such a high-end machine.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the Tesla 3's range at 310 miles. It means that on a full charge, the car could traverse 310 miles of city and highway driving before running out of battery.
The efficiency rating of the Tesla 3 is at 131 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe) for city driving. It is also rated 120 MPGe for highway driving and 126 MPGe for combined city/highway driving. Considering that a gallon of gasoline is equal to 3.7-kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy, the features of the Tesla 3 is already a significant milestone.
Driving a Tesla 3 is expected to yield $4,500 worth of fuel cost savings over a five-year period.
This range and savings projection are for the "long-range" version of the Tesla 3, which is expected to cost around $44,000. The "standard" version, which has an expected range of 220 miles, will sell for around $22,000. However, the standard version is not yet available, and production will not start until 2018.
There have been production lags for the Tesla Model 3 recently, and it has been reported that Tesla has missed its production goals. Only 260 Tesla Model 3s were produced in the last quarter, a production ratio that amounts to about three cars a day.
Still, the Tesla Model 3 is seen as the car that will take the company into the mainstream. The model is specifically aimed at the mass market, and it is Tesla's shot at creating an electric car that is both affordable and has a reasonable range.
Profitability is also one of the top priorities in the production of the Model 3, as it may well be the model that will secure Tesla's future in the automobile market.
