The most affordable Tesla model, the Model 3, is no longer available.
The following model has an additional price of $3,500.
Tesla has decided to remove the Standard Range rear-wheel drive version of the Model 3 from its lineup, which was offered for less than $40,000 since its launch in 2023. Now, the most affordable model is the Model 3 RWD Long Range, which has a starting price of $42,490. This change was initially noted by a specialized media outlet and coincides with the announcement of an increase in vehicle deliveries by Tesla in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the previous year.
The company has adjusted its prices numerous times in recent years while trying to maintain its dominant market position. However, a growing number of consumers have begun to choose competing brands, leading Tesla to face a year-over-year decline in sales. Additionally, the company sometimes halts production of certain models without prior notice. In this context, earlier this year, it stopped offering the RWD Cybertruck version, which was marketed at $60,990, making it the most affordable option of its angular electric truck.
The Model 3 Standard Range, which promised a range of 272 miles on a full charge, used lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells manufactured in China. The cost of importing these batteries could increase following the Biden administration's decision to raise tariffs on batteries, semiconductors, and critical minerals from China. This model was the only one, apart from incentives, that came close to the much-anticipated and elusive price of $35,000 for the Model 3.
The new RWD Long Range costs an additional $3,500 compared to the discontinued Standard Range, although the price difference is not very significant, given that the Long Range offers an estimated range of 363 miles on a full charge. However, Tesla has been accused of exaggerating the range estimates of its vehicles. While the Model 3 Standard Range can no longer be ordered, the company is developing a new, more affordable model, which has yet to be announced and is expected to be unveiled in the second half of 2025. This could represent a new vehicle or a more basic version of the Model 3.
It remains to be seen how Tesla could further simplify the new model to make it more accessible, especially considering that current versions already lack driving and signaling levers, and that a more affordable variant of the Model 3 in Mexico turned out to be more expensive than the U.S. versions.
