Tesla unveiled the Model 3 on March 31, 2016, as the company’s most pocket-friendly offering. Today, the all-electric premium sedan celebrates its sixth birthday.
Watch Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s 2016 unveiling of the Model 3 in the video below:
The Model 3 was the culmination of Tesla’s efforts to deliver an electric vehicle (EV) for $35,000 USD. The all-electric sedan was designed not only to be Tesla’s most affordable car but also the safest car from any manufacturer.
In the first 24 hours after the Model 3 was revealed, over 130,000 people put down reservations for what went on to become Tesla’s first high volume, mass-market vehicle.
The EV started delivering to customers in July 2017 and soon the company was “deep in production hell” as explained by Musk three months later.
You'll know as soon as we do. We are deep in production hell 🔥
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 6, 2017
6 years ago today, I waited 3 hours in line at Century City mall to reserve a car nobody had ever seen yet. I met Elon while standing in line which made it all worth it. Model 3 has changed the automobile industry forever. @elonmusk #Tesla #Model3 $TSLA pic.twitter.com/D2ExrTfCWM
— Zack (@BLKMDL3) March 31, 2022
Since then, the Model 3 has taken Tesla mainstream and paved the way for battery electric vehicles on global best-seller charts. In 2021, the Model 3 was the best-selling EV in the world for the fourth year in a row. The Model 3 has evolved throughout the years, and it received a significant refresh for the 2021 model year.
The electric sedan’s global success is eclipsed only by Tesla’s own Model Y during some months. The Model Y turned three earlier this month.
Today, the Model 3 is available in three trims — the Standard Range Plus with a single-motor RWD powertrain for $48,490 USD before incentives, the dual-motor, AWD Model 3 Long Range for $55,990 USD before incentives, and the dual-motor, AWD Model 3 Performance for $61,990 USD before incentives.
