Tesla Adds Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive to Its Lineup
Tesla Model 3 now gets a new entry-level Rear-Wheel Drive variant that offers more range than its predecessor.
With SEMA 2021 upon us, we are getting to see many exciting offerings. However, Tesla is also stirring up plenty of excitement in the EV industry even without any highly publicized announcements. The company’s supercharger network is now open to all EVs in the Netherlands. Now, a new entry-level variant of the Tesla Model 3 is part of the EV pioneer’s lineup. The new base variant gets 5 additional miles over its predecessor.
The Standard Range Plus version of Tesla’s mass-market offering is no longer part of the Model 3 lineup. Its replacement is the new Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive variant. The Tesla Model 3 RWD offers 267 miles of maximum driving range. A recent Reddit post claims that Model 3 RWD’s range on Tesla’s website was listed as 272 miles for a brief period.
In true Tesla fashion, the world’s most valuable automaker has refrained from commenting on the changes in the estimated range of base Model 3. Even the Mercurial CEO, Elon Musk is maintaining radio silence on the subject. So far, we have not received any update from his exciting Twitter account. Furthermore, the estimated delivery date of the Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive variant is listed as September in the screenshot, which was uploaded on the Reddit post.
The Rear-Wheel Drive variant is 0.5 seconds slower to 60 MPH than its predecessor.
However, the estimated delivery date of Model 3 RWD has now been changed to June on the company’s official website. As per a recent announcement, future Model 3s will switch over to the more efficient LFP battery packs. Therefore, we reckon the cheaper to manufacture LFP battery pack might be the reason for the new and improved range of the base Model 3.
Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus could accelerate from 0 to 60 in 5.3 seconds. On the other hand, the new entry-level Model 3 takes 5.8 seconds to hit the 60 MPH mark from a complete standstill. The EV gets a purchase price of $45,490 and a top speed of 140 MPH. Lastly, the new Model 3 will also get Basic Autopilot because Tesla offers this version of its advanced driver assistance system as standard across all offerings.
Image Source: Tesla