Tesla Model 3 Prototypes Are Beginning To Surface On Palo Alto Streets

The interior is a deal breaker for me. That and analyst say the real transaction prices will be between $50 and 60,000.

Truthy: If someone puts down a deposit for a $35,000 car, and then (a year or two later) the phone-call comes to inform them their $50,000 car has arrived, then I imagine that would be a deal-breaker for a great many of those alleged 400,000 deposit holders.

Most people are budgeting around $50k already for the Model 3 based on surveys and estimated costs of upgrades, but at $35k you will still getting a fast car with great tech and low maintenance that is upgradeable to a self-driving car in the future. No other cars can really offer that value prop right now.

@TheSteve wrote "If someone puts down a deposit for a $35,000 car, and then (a year or two later) the phone-call comes to inform them their $50,000 car has arrived"

I know it's Friday so you wanted to add some humor into this post with quite a bit of hyperbole. I assume you already knew that Tesla cars are configured with final price before the order is submitted ? There is no such thing as "sticker shock" for Tesla car, but you already knew that also.

HenryN: My understanding is that Tesla took Model-3 (refundable) deposits before the design was completed, and they did not guarantee the actual selling price at the time of the vehicles' delivery, which could be several years after the deposit was made.

HenryN: Also note that I was responding to the analyst's remarks in Truthy's opening post. I also said "if." Nowhere did I assert this will happen. So, *IF* the analyst is right about his belief that the Model-3 will cost close to $50K, *THEN* I imagine a fair number of the alleged 400,000 Model-3 deposits won't get converted into sales.

@TheSteve: if you are really familiar with the car buying experience, you should now the difference between "base price" and "price with option". I know you wanted to play with words, but you intention was clearly to mix up between the 2.

So far, base price for the Model 3 is $35K whereas prices for option are anyone's guess, albeit fairly close based on similar options on the S and X. $50K seems reasonable, but does not mean everyone will buy one at this price. And again, there should be no surprise for the buyer (except for those who think they can get an $70K car for $35K).

Gosh, is it me or does anyone see the Model 3 styling/proportions channeling the Mazda 3 and/or Hyundai products?

Its also apparently a hatchback-style body, but with a trunk (tiny opening?).

The proportions did not shrink down well at all - it looks non-premium to me.

At least they are actually testing the thing on actual roads. Though, I'm not sure how representative tests around Silicon Valley will correlate to real world conditions.

My best friend has a Model X and in the winter, if water gets into the falcon doors and it freezes, they will not close. He cannot get his car washed in sub-freezing temps because the frozen water jams everything up. The Model X clearly was not tested in cold climates.

Tesla - take your Model 3's up the coast to Alaska.

May not be perfect in every way, however it will be a game changer, there is no denying that! Good for Tesla, give me all hell and let's see the response. I think we will see a whole lot of new electric cars from BMW, Mercedes and Audi pretty quick, not to mention all the US, Japanese and Korean makers! Exciting times ahead for the auto industry.

With more and more electric cars coming on line, power plants had better start stocking up on their coal and oil fuel to generate the power which electric cars run on. The liberals are lame brains if they think electric cars so environmentally friendly and that doesn't even consider the toxic danger of the deadly batteries!

Sounds very shillish to me. Even with coal, a powerplant will always produce energy more efficiently than an ICE. Remember Tesla is also selling solar and grid storage, the increased demand for EVs will only benefit their other products.

@skytop: read Elon Musk's original Master Plan 2006 where he laid out the case for Tesla EV plan. In there you'll find debunking of the misconception of Lithium battery hazard as well as detail analysis of Tesla EV CO2 emission and its positive environmental impact in replacing ICE vehicles.

https://www.tesla.com/blog/secret-tesla-motors-master-plan-just-between-you-and-me

It's called "Mein Kampf"

You have to stick up on fuel NOT because of EVs but because auf all time record (!) usage of fuel by ICE cars.

@Hauerg You do realize that's an irrelevant argument, right?

What about natural gas, hydro, wind, solar and nuclear? You can't be that naive to believe that all electricity to the grid is generated by coal and oil...right?

Whenever it debuts, whatever it costs, it will be a runaway market success. Anyone who denies this is simply a Tesla-hater, works for another car company, is a moron, or is some combination of the above.

Spot on. No doubt that this car is going to crush it. It's crazy how many people on AutoSpies hate on Tesla. I have a suspicion that a lot of the people making these negative comments have never even driven one, let alone have owned one.

MDarringer, no it is not. I did NOT bring up the stocking up on fuel nonsense. Skytopmdid.
And fact is the US is using more gas than EVER to run the ICE cars.
Also, there are more ways to generate power than burning stuff.
So stocking up on fuel is NOT needed for EVs.

@Hauerg do you realize that what you just posted is incoherent?

Yet, their sales are doing just fine.