Tesla's New Model 3 Is Exactly What EV Buyers Want

There’s been a big push recently among automakers looking to gain ground among entry-level EV buyers. That isn’t all that surprising; price has been a concern for the EV-curious, which has also led to growing number of car buyers looking into used EVs. EV buyers have also made the appeal of electric sedans clear; that makes sense for both reasons of price and for battery range.

All of that makes Tesla’s decision to release a new edition of its Model 3 eminently understandable. The new iteration — listed on Tesla’s website as “Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive” — checks off a lot of boxes mentioned earlier. Sedan? Check. Battery life? Check. Tesla lists its range as 363 miles, as compared to 272 miles for the standard rear-wheel drive option.

The price is also appealing: with incentives factored in, it’s currently the lowest-priced option of Tesla’s Model 3s, with some of that stemming from its eligibility for a $7,500 federal tax credit that the standard Rear-Wheel Drive option isn’t available for. (Without incentives included, the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive Model 3 has a list price of $42,490.) There’s also a All-Wheel Drive option available with an extended range, which sells for $5,000 more than its Rear-Wheel Drive counterpart and has a range of 341 miles.

Tesla Announces a New Series of Price Cuts

The prices of the Model X, Y and S have dropped

SUVs remain popular in the U.S. and around the world, but the growth of electric vehicles might have some impact on that. The same battery will be able to take a sedan further than an SUV — and the more that buyers consider range when shopping for EVs, the more appealing sedans are going to look. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t intriguing options on the horizon when it comes to electric SUVs — only that Tesla’s new move looks like it’ll scratch the itch of many an EV buyer.