Tesla recently took the wraps off the Model 3, easily hitting the $7.5 billion mark with 198,000 preorders in line. It's instantly one of the most popular electric vehicles to date, but the question of whether it's the better option than the Model X or Model S still stands.
Here are a couple of points to help determine which one out of the three Tesla cars is the perfect one.
Performance
The Model 3 can go as far as 215 miles on a single charge. That's a tad lower compared to the others, but that's more or less expected considering that it's the electric car maker's most affordable car yet.
On the other hand, the Model X P90D clocks in at 250 miles, the 90D at 257 miles and the 70D at 220. The winner on this front is clearly the Model S, with the P90D scoring a range of 253 miles, the 90D at 270 miles and the 70D at 240 miles.
While the Model X can run from 0 to 60 MPH in 3.8 seconds and the Model S in 2.8 seconds, the premium Model 3 is expected to pull it off in about 4 seconds. Tesla revealed that the base model is capable of going from 0 to 60 MPH in less than 6 seconds.
Safety
The Model X got a five-star rating across every safety rating category when it was tested. Meanwhile, the Model S set a new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety score record back in August 2013, scoring top marks in every subcategory. Now, the Model 3 has yet to be tested, but Tesla CEO Elon Musk believes that it will get a five-star rating as well.
Features
Just like the other two, the Model 3 is said to feature an autopilot system as well, but the Model X has something unique out of the bunch: Falcon-wing doors that can detect when it's about to hit something.
Price
Considering that the Model 3 is an electric vehicle that's targeted at the mass market, it's the definite winner on this front.
To put things into perspective, the Model S starts out at about $70,000 and the Model X at $80,000. While the Model 3 starts out at $35,000, it can go all the way down to $25,000, according to Bloomberg's estimation.
Bottom Line
Even though it doesn't come with all the bells and whistles as the others, the Model 3 is arguably the most viable option out of the three because of its significantly lower price point, but that's just coming from someone who's on a pretty tight budget.
As for the Model S and Model X, they're perfect for those who have the cash to spend on a high-quality electric vehicle.
