Tesla Model 3
Tesla’s $35k Model 3 is here: 220-mile range, new interior options
The $35,000 Model 3 is here. Interested buyers can now order the $35,000 Model 3 with a standard interior and a 220-mile battery. The company is also rolling out a new “partial premium interior” with upgraded seat material and trim, as well as an upgraded audio system, for an additional $2,000.
The Standard Range Model 3 was unveiled after Tesla temporarily paused its ordering page for its electric cars. In the hour leading up to the $35,000 Model 3’s release, visitors to Tesla’s site were redirected to www.tesla.com/soon and a page that simply reads, “The wait is almost over. Great things are launching at 2pm.” Once the order page was accessible, it became evident that Tesla was now offering two new variants of the electric car. The Long Range RWD version, the first configuration of the vehicle that was rolled out to consumers, also made a comeback.
As could be seen in the vehicle’s online configurator page, the Standard Model 3 is capable of traveling 220 miles on a single charge. In true Tesla fashion, the Standard Model 3 is no slouch, as it is capable of going from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds or comparable to a BMW 3 Series. The vehicle also has a top speed of 130 mph.
Tesla has also released the Model 3 Standard Range Plus, which is capable of going 240 miles per charge. The Standard Range Plus is faster than the $35,000 variant too, with its 0-60 mph time of 5.3 seconds and its 140 mph top speed. In a blog post announcing the release of the Model 3’s new variants, Tesla notes that with the Standard Range Plus, customers “get 9% more range, more power, and an upgraded interior.” Buyers looking for maximum range capabilities will be able to purchase a Long Range Model 3 which will receive a range boost through a number of over-the-air firmware updates.
Tesla has released details of the Model 3’s Standard Interior and its new Partial Premium Interior.
Standard Interior Includes:
- Manual seat and steering adjustment
- Cloth seats and base trim
- Basic audio
- Standard maps and navigation
- Center console with storage and 4 USB ports
Partial Premium Interior Includes:
- 12-way power adjustable heated front seats
- Premium seat material and trim
- Upgraded audio – immersive sound
- Standard maps & navigation
- LED fog lamps
- Center console with storage, 4 USB ports and docking for 2 smartphones
Premium Interior Includes:
- 12-way power adjustable front and rear heated seats
- Premium audio – 14 speakers, 1 subwoofer, 2 amps, and immersive sound
- Satellite-view maps with live traffic visualization and navigation
- In-car internet streaming music & media
- Internet browser
- Location-aware automatic garage door opener
- LED fog lamps
- Center console with storage, 4 USB ports and docking for 2 smartphones (edited)
Together with the Standard and Standard Plus variants, Tesla has also updated its vehicles’ Autopilot package. As of today, Tesla will be offering basic Autopilot, which has Autosteer and Traffic Aware Cruise Control, as a $3,000 add-on ($4,000 when purchased after delivery). Some features of Enhanced Autopilot, such as Navigate on Autopilot, Autopark, and Summon, are now included Tesla’s Full Self Driving Capability add-on, which costs $5,000 ($7,000 if purchased after delivery).
Echoing Elon Musk’s hints at his recent appearance at ARK Invest’s For Your Innovation podcast, Tesla has noted in its FSD add-on page that other features, such as the ability to recognize and respond to traffic lights and stop signs and automatic driving on city streets, will be coming later this year.
Perhaps the most impressive surprise from Tesla’s recent announcement is that customers who order the $35,000 Standard Model 3 are expected to take delivery of their vehicles in two to four weeks. Those who purchase the Standard Plus Model 3 can get their electric cars within two weeks. Other variants of the Model 3, such as the Mid Range RWD, Long Range RWD (325 miles), Long Range Dual Motor, and Performance are all listed with an estimated delivery date within two weeks.
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Tesla offers awesome Free Supercharging incentive on an unexpected vehicle
In the past, Tesla has used Free Supercharging to incentivize the purchase of its expensive vehicles, like the Model S and Model X. However, those vehicles are leaving the company lineup, and Tesla saw a benefit from applying the incentive to another car.
Tesla is offering an awesome new Free Supercharging incentive on a vehicle that is sort of unexpected.
In the past, Tesla has used Free Supercharging to incentivize the purchase of its expensive vehicles, like the Model S and Model X. However, those vehicles are leaving the company lineup, and Tesla saw a benefit from applying the incentive to another car.
Tesla North America has introduced a compelling new incentive aimed at boosting Model 3 sales. Starting with orders placed on or after April 24, buyers of the Model 3 Premium (Long Range) and Performance variants in the United States will receive one full year of complimentary Supercharging.
The offer applies exclusively to new vehicle orders and does not extend to existing owners or other trims like the base Rear-Wheel Drive model.
New orders of Model 3 Premium & Performance now come with 1 year of free Supercharging 🇺🇸
Also, all Teslas pay the lowest Supercharging rates – all others pay a ~40% premium or need a subscription
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) April 24, 2026
The announcement underscores Tesla’s continued dominance in EV charging infrastructure.
While the incentive provides 12 months of zero-cost access to the Supercharger network, Tesla also reiterated its pricing structure: all Tesla vehicles receive the lowest Supercharging rates.
Non-Tesla EVs, by contrast, pay approximately 40 percent more per kWh or must purchase a subscription to access the network at standard rates. This tiered approach highlights the strategic value of owning a Tesla, where seamless integration with the world’s largest and most reliable fast-charging network remains a key differentiator.
For prospective buyers, the savings can be substantial. Depending on driving habits, a typical Model 3 owner might log 12,000–15,000 miles annually.
With average Supercharging costs around $0.40–$0.50 per kWh, one year of free sessions could translate to $800–$1,200 in avoided expenses.
That effectively lowers the total cost of ownership and makes long-distance travel more affordable from day one. Early delivery customers have already noted similar past incentives, with one Cybertruck owner reporting over $2,400 saved in just six months under similar offers that Tesla has deployed in the past.
The timing of the offer appears strategic. Tesla faces growing competition from other automakers expanding their own charging networks and offering aggressive EV incentives.
By bundling free Supercharging rather than discounting the vehicle’s MSRP, Tesla preserves perceived value while directly addressing one of the biggest barriers for new EV adopters: charging costs and convenience.
The move also encourages higher-mileage use of the network, generating valuable real-world data for Tesla’s autonomous driving development.
Why Tesla would apply this incentive to the Model 3 is pretty interesting. It usually is a pretty good incentive to move units out the door, so there’s some speculation whether Tesla is planning to launch new upgrades to the mass-market sedan in the coming months, and the company wants to move what will be outdated units from its inventory.
However, there is also just the idea that Tesla could be attempting to stimulate some early quarter demand for the Model 3, especially as the Model Y continues to sell very well. Tesla’s loss of the $7,500 EV tax credit last year had an impact on sales, and Tesla might be testing some formidable options to see if it can add some demand once again.
Elon Musk
Tesla confirmed HW3 can’t do Unsupervised FSD but there’s more to the story
Tesla confirmed HW3 vehicles cannot run unsupervised FSD, replacing its free upgrade promise with a discounted trade-in.
Tesla has officially confirmed that early vehicles with its Autopilot Hardware 3 (HW3) will not be capable of unsupervised Full Self-Driving, while extending a path forward for legacy owners through a discounted trade-in program. The announcement came by way of Elon Musk in today’s Tesla Q1 2026 earnings call.
🚨 Our LIVE updates on the Tesla Earnings Call will take place here in a thread 🧵
Follow along below: pic.twitter.com/hzJeBitzJU
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) April 22, 2026
The history here matters. HW3 launched in April 2019, and Tesla sold Full Self-Driving packages to owners on the understanding that the hardware was sufficient for full autonomy. Some owners paid between $8,000 and $15,000 for FSD during that period. For years, as FSD’s AI models grew more demanding, HW3 vehicles fell progressively further behind, eventually landing on FSD v12.6 in January 2025 while AI4 vehicles moved to v13 and then v14. When Musk acknowledged in January 2025 that HW3 simply could not reach unsupervised operation, and alluded to a difficult hardware retrofit.
The near-term offering is more concrete. Tesla’s head of Autopilot Ashok Elluswamy confirmed on today’s call that a V14-lite will be coming to HW3 vehicles in late June, bringing all the V14 features currently running on AI4 hardware. That is a meaningful software update for owners who have been frozen at v12.6 for over a year, and it represents genuine effort to keep older hardware relevant. Unsupervised FSD for vehicles is now targeted for Q4 2026 at the earliest, with Musk describing it as a gradual, geography-limited rollout.
For HW3 owners, the over-the-air V14-lite update is welcomed, and the discounted trade-in path at least acknowledges an old obligation. What happens next with the trade-in pricing will define how this chapter ultimately gets written. If Tesla prices the hardware path fairly, acknowledges what early adopters are owed, and delivers V14-lite on the June timeline it committed to today, it has a real opportunity to convert one of the longest-running sore subjects among early adopters into a loyalty story.
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Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, coding shows
According to coding found in the European and Chinese configurators, Tesla is planning to make two big upgrades: Black Headliner offerings and a new 16-inch QHD display, similar to that on the Model Y Performance.
Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, one of which is widely requested by owners and fans, and another that it has already started to make on some trim levels of other models within the lineup.
The changes appear to be taking effect in the European and Chinese markets, but these are expected to come to the United States based on what Tesla has done with the Model Y.
According to coding found in the European and Chinese configurators, Tesla is planning to make two big upgrades: Black Headliner offerings and a new 16-inch QHD display, similar to that on the Model Y Performance.
These changes in the coding were spotted by X user BERKANT, who shared the findings on the social media platform this morning:
🚨 Model 3 changes spotted in Tesla backend
• New interior code: IN3PB (Interior 3 Premium Black)
• Linked to Alcantara-style black headliner
• Mapped to 2026 Model 3 Performance and Premium VINs• EPC now shows: “Display_16_QHD”
• Multiple 2026 builds marked with… pic.twitter.com/OkDM5EdbTu— BERKANT (@Tesla_NL_TR) February 23, 2026
It appears these new upgrades will roll out with the Model 3 Performance and Tesla’s Premium trim levels of the all-electric sedan.
The changes are welcome. Tesla fans have been requesting that its Model 3 and Model Y offerings receive a black headliner, as even with the black interior options, the headliner is grey.
Tesla recently upgraded Model Y vehicles to this black headliner option, even in the United States, so it seems as if the Model 3 will get the same treatment as it appears to be getting in the Eastern hemisphere.
Tesla has been basically accentuating the Model 3 and Model Y with small upgrades that owners have been wanting, and it has been a focal point of the company’s future plans as it phases out other vehicles like the Model S and Model X.
Additionally, Tesla offered an excellent 0.99% APR last week on the Model 3, hoping to push more units out the door to support a strong Q1 delivery figure at the beginning of April.
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