The once cheapest Tesla vehicle available on its website for the public to purchase is no longer up for sale, and this is the Model 3's Standard Range Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) variant. This did not reveal it was removed by Tesla as it is also one of the most famous electric vehicles available for those who want to join the electrification while on a budget.
With the recent removal of this Model 3 variant, Tesla is now offering a slightly more expensive EV as its cheapest car, and this is the Model 3 Long-Range Rear-Wheel Drive.
Tesla Takes Cheapest Model 3 EV Off the Market
A new report from Electrek unveiled that the company now removed the cheapest Tesla electric vehicle in the market, centering on the Model 3's Standard Range RWD variant. This specific model only costs $39,000 for its base price and without all the additional features users can buy, and it is among the most affordable electric vehicles in the market.
It was also revealed that alongside removing this cheapest variant, Tesla also shared its latest quarterly report for Q3 2024, which shows disappointing numbers compared to its dominant Q3 2023.
Tesla could only sell 462,890 electric vehicles this quarter, and it was short by 469,000 according to analysts' expectations for this July to September period. The report also revealed that Tesla needs to sell 516,344 vehicles, a possible new record number, this Q4 to achieve its 1.8 million-sold EV goals.
New Cheapest Tesla is $3,500 More Expensive
With the removal of the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Rear-Wheel Drive, the cheapest electric vehicle from the Texas-based automotive company is now the Model 3 Long-Range Rear-Wheel Drive variant. This features a base price of $42,500, which is $3,500 more expensive than the previous one.
Tesla's Affordable EVs: Are They Worth It?
Tesla may not position itself as a luxury vehicle company like Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, and more. However, it still promises a 'premium' experience on its vehicles, paired with its renowned technology. That being said, Elon Musk's clean energy company won the Top Luxury Car Brand in the United States for 2022, beating BMW which has long held the title.
Despite having the expensive Model S and Model X variants like the Plaid version, with its luxurious interiors and features, and the Cyberbeast, there are still affordable EVs like the Model 3 and Model Y.
Previously, the Model Y was considered the cheapest electric vehicle in Tesla's fleet, and it is also notable for its performance, range, and features, which were available to users before the price hike that took place.
The recent quarterly report from Tesla saw dwindling numbers compared to the previous years of the same quarter, in which it shared its significant milestones and records for EV sales. While it was not revealed if this poor quarter performance is connected to the cheapest Model 3 being taken off the market, Tesla is now looking towards finishing strong as the last quarter of the year is here.
