Our first first road test of Model 3 on its home turf.
Whatever happens to Tesla, Model 3 will remain a landmark product. Whether it becomes a dazzling success or a catastrophic missed opportunity, its genesis, the relentless buzz, a painful industrial launch and unprecedented media coverage are all unprecedented. Books will be written, cases will be taught in business schools. But what about the product itself, a good year before it lands on european shores ? Instead of patiently waiting for Model 3 to come to us, we went to test it on its home turf, the Silicon Valley.
As with all early production cars, our test car is a Long Range version, the only one currently in production.
| Tesla Model 3 Standard battery |
Tesla Model 3 Long Range battery |
|
| Range | 220 miles EPA 354 km |
310 miles EPA 499 km |
| Charge, supercharger | 210 km in 30 minutes | 274 km in 30 minutes |
| Charge, domestic | 48 km per hour (240V, 32A) |
60 km per hour (240V, 40A) |
| Acceleration, 0-96 km/h | 5.6s | 5.1s |
| Top speed | 210 km/h | 225 km/h |
| Weight | 1610 kg | 1730 kg |
| US price (US$) | 35’000 | 44’000 |
We take delivery of our test car on a late evening which provides us a good opportunity to assess ease-of-use. Model 3 is 4.70m long and 1.93m wide, but the car feels compact and narrow, perhaps because of the small diameter of the steering wheel. The diminutive interior and the absence of a classic instrument cluster results in a lower dashboard line, while conventional cars have it peak at the top of the steering wheel rim. The A pillars are quite thick and do not help diagonal forward visibility.
I register my first impressions while driving highway 101 north toward Palo Alto. Tire roar is loud, but pavement of freeways in the San Francisco bay area is notoriously rough. Still the car is loud in comparison with the Nissan Altima I just drove on the same stretch. The harshness of the suspension is more surprising and will dominate our driving experience throughout this test. Spring and damper settings are extremely firm, almost punishing, both in primary mode (large, low frequency compressions) and secondary mode (high frequency filtering).
Our test car is mounted with the more forgiving 18″ wheels (235/45R18), with more compliant tire walls than the 19″ sports wheels, the only available option (1500$) which this car is not specified with.
Bluntly put, Tesla completely missed the ball when signing off on this chassis settings. Owner forums anecdotally indicate that early customers immediately complained, and Tesla had to correct the course with a new set of springs and dampers which was phased into production mid December 2017. A cost-free retrofit is to be made available to existing owners, but the actual execution status of the retrofit is unclear. One can applaud Tesla for such a prompt reaction, but it is surprising that the company initially settled for such a poor NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) experience.
I made the mistake not to accustom myself with the location of the basic functions of 15″ touch screen and find myself trapped with a light drizzle that scatters light on the windscreen and no clue where the windshield wiper function is located. Blinkers on the left, drive selector on the right, I find salvation in the windshield washer button. I will discover later that the windshield menu can be accessed through a few lateral swipes of the bottom left widget of the multifunction screen. Conventional buttons and switches can have their charm under certain circumstances.
Our car was on a tight schedule and was delivered with only 110 miles of range. My contigency plan was to use one of the charge stations at my hotel through the night. Sadly, the charge port of Model 3 is not compatible with the ubiquitous type 1 (SAE J1772) charger plugs and i can’t find the adapter in the center console, front or rear trunk. Result: no charge during the night.
The next morning, I head straight for the nearest supercharger station in Mountain View. Installed in an office building neighbourhood, the station is surprisingly busy on this sunday early morning, with only two stalls out of twelve available. Model S and Model X owners are either trying to save a few bucks on their monthly electric bill, or do not have access to a plug, which is surprising for this affluent demographic in a largely single family home region.
Supercharing Model 3 is not free, i load up 128 miles of range (206 km) in 32 minutes at a cost of 7.80$, or 3.80$ for 100 km. Relatively cheap, even in a region where gas costs 90 cents per liter.
I free my charging port to let another pioneer of electric mobility get his fix and aim the somewhat controversial nose of the Model 3 toward the eastern shore of the bay. Model 3 retains the playful aspect of Model S and Model X. Torque is available instantaneously and delivers balistic acceleration, leaving behind the vast majority of four wheeled moving objects. Torque and power specifications remain a mystery. Tesla does not disclose any figures, some sources place torque at 430 Nm and power at 258 hp. Acceleration from 0 to 96 km/h is claimed in 5.1s.
Use of the the large touchscreen becomes intuitive quite quickly but few functions are accessible without clicking, swiping and navigating sub-menus. While the cost reduction rationale is understandable, the ergonomy is more questionable. The graphical user interface is true to Tesla standards, with clean and smooth graphics, and the introduction of destinations in the navigation system very easy. Model 3 supports keyless access through a smartphone app, but we were forced to use the valet key, a frustrating smart card which require close proximity to the B pillar to open the door, and the center console to activate motion.
Our first pictures are securely stored on a flash card and we head to the mecca of the Musk fellowship, the former Toyota plant in Fremont, to top up our battery at the charging station. It is 9:50am on this sunny sunday morning and we have to queue to get a spot. Some are sleeping in their cars or catching up with email while their cars charge. We get another 84 km in 18 minutes for 3.12$. Charing power peaked only briefly at 63 kW, illustrating how charge current gets lower as the battery pack fills up.
Next on the menu ? The twisties. We cross Dumbarton Bridge westward to hop on route 84 and climb toward Skyline Blvd, the backbone of the Peninsula’s twisty roads network where enthusiasts converge during week-ends. For the time being, Model 3 is rear wheel drive only, until D versions with twin motors can be announced and launched in production.
With a heavy right foot, the 235 mm wide Michelin tires are easily overwhelmed by the sudden surge of torque, provoking elusive bursts of wheel spin which are promptly tamed by electronics. Traction control cannot be switched off, and the Slip Start function, designed to cope with snowy or muddy conditions, does not seem to provide a solution to donut and burn-adicts.
Handling is far more convincing that with Model S. Unlike “D” Teslas, the front wheels do not receive any torque and only have to deal with directionality, making the front end sharper and less prone to understeer under acceleration. Combined with a relatively low weight (1730 kg claimed) and a low center of gravity, Model 3 is nimble and the pace at which it is capable to cover a winding road could surprise many. Abundant torque available instantly, and the possibility to apply it early from the apex make for an entertaining and effective cocktail. It is likely that the rather limited lateral support of the seats will prove to be a bigger limitation to your enjoyment than the dynamic abilities of the drive train, chassis or even the Michelin Primacy’s hard rubber,
Elon Musk promised a 35’000$ Model 3 as the electric car of mass adoption. Our test car, fully optionned except for the 19″ sports wheel, carries a list price of 58’000$, or 65% more. A simple computation based on Model S 75D pricing (74’500 USD and 80’190 CHF) leads to an estimate of 62’430 CHF in Switzerland for this configuration.
For this price range, perceived value is contrasted. The interior looks bare and austere. There is nothing except the steering wheel and this large 15″ slate, sturdily attached to the dashboard structure. The open pores wood trim (part of the 5000$ premium pack) is nicely executed, same for the alcantara roof liner and the faux-leather draping the seats.
The center console pales in comparison and does not belong to a car of that price range, and the swivelling trap doors are flimsy. The rear seats are very low and, as with Model S, headroom is limited for an adult, and only viable with the glass panoramic roof. Leg room is good, subjectively more generous than in au Audi A4 for instance. Combined trunk capacity is specified at 424 liters, which makes for a rather small and narrow rear trunk.
Tesla promises a range of 499 km according to the EPA cycle for the long range version, and 354 km for the base version. The EPA cycle is measurably more realistic than its european equivalents, whether the slightly improved WLTP or the ridiculous NEDC protocol. One should not overlook the margin necessary to survival in an electric car: if drawing a gas tank down to 20km or less is a risk free exercize given the ubiquity and simplicity of refueling options, drawing a charge down to the minimum is a tight rope exercize.
The car reported an average of 241 Wh/mi, or 149 Wh/km, which is remarkably low and difficult to explain. Engine breaking can be adjusted on two levels and regenerative braking allows to nearly never use the brake pedal and maximize kinetic energy recovery.
We had the opportunity to test Autopilot and its Autosteer function (deemed a beta feature). This systems remains one – if not the best lane guiding assistant on the market. The camera-based system does a remarkable job of following road markings when present. While not designed to be used outside of freeways, it allows to do so anyway, and the intervals between “hands back on the wheel” warnings are ambitiously spaced out.
I was however surprised that it is not integrated with navigation functions, ignoring freeway bypasses otherwise indicated by the satnav system. Tesla does not seem to regulate speed based on satnav data, when approaching curves for instance, relying solely on speed limits. This systems remains an adaptive cruise control with a permissive lane guiding feature.
The Tesla Model 3 does not escape the economic contingencies affecting electric cars. In order to offer a decent range, a large battery pack had to be integrated, and this inflates the price considerably, distancing the product from the 35’000$ claim. In addition, pricing of must-have options is heavy handed. This leads to the same outcome as with other electrics: an underwhelming interior, in stark contrast with the asking price.
The Tesla Model 3 is otherwise a pleasant car to drive, well sorted in its primary function. Its major shortcoming, its suspension setting, will require another road test to confirm the effectiveness of the fix.
Test car configuration
| Tesla Model 3 | 35’000 US$ |
| Long range battery | 9’000 US$ |
| Midnight Silver Metallic, Deep Blue Metallic, Silver Metallic, Pearl White Multi-Coat, Red Multi-Coat paint. | 1’000 US$ |
| Premium upgrade package: heated seats. open pore wood trip, rear USB ports, 12 axis electric seats, electric steering column and mirrors, premium sound system, panoramic roof, anti fog lights, closed center console | 5’000 US$ |
| Enhanced Autopilot | 5’000 US$ |
| Autonomous drive | 3’000 US$ |
| List price | 58’000 US$ |
Other options
| 19″ sport wheels | 1’500 US$ |
Facing competition – technical specifications
| Tesla Model 3 | Opel Ampera-e | Hyundai IONIQ Electric | BMW i3 | |
| Power (hp) | 306** | 204 | 120 | 170 |
| Torque (Nm) | 563** / 1 – 7000 | 360 | 295 | 250 |
| Transmission | propulsion | traction | traction | propulsion |
| Weight DIN (constr.) | (1610 / 1730) | (1691) | (1475) | (1245) |
| 0-100 km/h (sec.) | 5.6 / 5.1 | 7.3 | 9.9 | 7.3 |
| Top speed (km/h) | 210 / 225 | 148 | 165 | 150 |
| Mileage Wh/km (mfr) | 149 | 198 (136) | (115) | (131) |
| Battery (kWh) | 50 / 74 | 60 | 28 | 33 |
| Range (km) |
354 / 499*** | 530**** | 280**** | 312**** |
| Length (mm) | 4694 | 4164 | 4470 | 3999 |
| Width (mm) | 1933 / 2088 | 1854 / 2039 | 1820 | 1775 /2039 |
| Height (mm) | 1443 | 1594 | 1450 | 1578 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2875 | 2600 | 2700 | 2570 |
| Trunk (L) | 425 | 381 / 1274 | 350 / 1410 | 260 / 1100 |
| Wheels | 235/45R18 | 215/50 R17 | 205/55 R16 | 155/70 R 19 |
| Base price (CHF) | 62’430* | 52’700 | 36’990 | 39’200 |
| Base price (EUR) | NC | 42’990 | 35’850 | 37’300 |
*projection **non-official data ***EPA ****NEDC
Picture gallery
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