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Tesla Launches Standard Model 3 In Black Starting at $35K Less Delivery Charges

Tesla's new Standard Model 3 starts at $35K before incentives and not including its $1,200 delivery fee.
Tesla launches Model 3 at $35K.

Three model years and nearly three calendar years after Elon Musk and Tesla promised the world the Tesla Model 3 would "start at $35K," the promise is fulfilled. Tesla announced today that without considering the mandatory $1,200 delivery fee, and when in black with zero options, no autopilot, and no included supercharging, the Model 3 now has a Standard trim with a price of $35K.

Model 3 35K

The announcement came after Elon Musk and Tesla had tweeted teasers about a major announcement. The major announcement today is that Tesla has done what it promised three years ago.

The Model 3 still qualifies for a federal tax credit of $3,750 and many EV-targeted states offer additional rebates with some having restrictions on income and other factors. Tesla posted the above image for its shoppers and shows the incentives in my zip code plus an imaginary gasoline savings figure. The Model 3 does not have any meaningful gas savings compared to other EVs or popular green cars like the Prius, which Tesla says is one of the top trade-n cars for the Model 3.

model 3 prices

We priced out a red Standard Model 3 with sport wheels and both Autopilot and Full Self-Driving capability (coming later this year) and the price with Delivery included was $48,200. Tesla seems to leave Delivery off its website price calculator.

The new lower price could be a game changer for Tesla. It will be very interesting to see when Tesla will begin delivering these cars to U.S. shoppers and how many the company will build.

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Comments

DeanMcManis (not verified)    March 1, 2019 - 1:01AM

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Yeah, it is nice that they have finally fulfilled their original promise of having a $35K base price for the Model 3. I personally have never thought that having a $35K model was ever that big of a deal in real life seeing that they outsold so many other competing models without having the base $35K price, but with some EV competition starting to arrive it is a good move now. My good friend just bought a Hyundai Niro EV yesterday and he paid about $34K before options and incentives for the higher Limited model (base price starts around $28K). So along with the Bolt and Leaf Plus, the under $40K, 220mile+ BEV competition is finally starting to warm up. This latest Tesla price cut would mean that I could get the base model in my favorite blue color with the performance wheels for around $35K after incentives. But the exciting version of the Model 3 for me would be the dual motor, Performance model for around $60K that can give a BMW M3 a run for the money, while being relatively cheap to own and maintain.