News
Tesla adjusts Model 3 prices amid lowered $3,750 federal tax credit
To say that the past year has been monumental for Tesla is a gross understatement. By the end of 2018, the electric car maker had established itself as a leader in the premium EV market, and the Model 3, its most ambitious vehicle, continues to perform well. Seemingly as a means to ensure that the electric sedan remains competitive regardless of the phaseout of the $3,750 federal tax credit, Tesla has adjusted the prices of its Model 3 lineup.
With the recent price adjustments in place, the Mid Range Model 3 RWD — the most affordable version of the vehicle currently available — is now priced at $44,000 before incentives. This is $1,000 less than the vehicle’s introductory price of $45,000 and $2,000 less than the electric sedan’s $46,000 cost, which was in effect until the end of 2018. The most recent price adjustments also lowered the price of the Tesla Model 3 Performance to $62,000 before incentives. The Dual Motor AWD variant, on the other hand, is now priced at $51,000 before gas savings and the remaining $3,750 tax credit.
https://twitter.com/28delayslater/status/1080429285112979456
By adopting this pricing strategy, Tesla is all but ensuring that its customers would not feel the full brunt of the $7,500 federal tax credit’s phaseout. Had Tesla not rolled back its vehicles’ prices, the cost of the entire Model 3 line would increase by $3,750 after 2018 ended. With the current adjustments in place, though, $2,000 of the lost tax credit would practically be covered by Tesla. Thus, for all intents and purposes, it appears that the phaseout of the $7,500 federal tax credit only resulted in Tesla’s vehicles raising their total prices by about $1,750.
Such adjustments could be yet another strategy for Tesla to ensure that demand in the United States remains healthy despite the vehicle’s international rollout. A notable portion of the electric car’s remaining reservation holders in the US, after all, are likely waiting for the Model 3’s $35,000 base variant. So far, Tesla’s website notes that Model 3 equipped with a Standard Battery would be available in 4 to 6 months.
Tesla is yet to release its production and delivery figures for the fourth quarter of 2018, though estimates from the electric car community expect the automaker to deliver around 33,000 vehicles in December, of which about 24,500 were Model 3. Considering that Tesla reportedly hit a production rate of 1,000 Model 3 per day in Q4, and considering that the company was pushing deliveries until the end of the year, there is a good chance that the electric car maker has achieved yet another record-setting quarter.
The next 12 months would likely go down as Tesla’s most historic year yet. Apart from the international rollout of the Model 3, the company is also expected to unveil the Model Y SUV this year. Just like the Model 3, the Model Y is aimed at the mass market, and considering the industry’s preference for SUVs, expectations are high that demand for the Model Y would exceed even that of the electric sedan. This is not all, though, as Elon Musk has teased that the Tesla Truck might be unveiled in 2019, and initial production of its all-electric long hauler — the Semi — could enter its first phases sometime this year as well. Lastly, Tesla’s Energy products such as the Solar Roof, which also has a long line of reservation holders, is expected to ramp production in 2019.
Investor's Corner
SpaceX IPO is coming, CEO Elon Musk confirms
However, it appears Musk is ready for SpaceX to go public, as Ars Technica Senior Space Editor Eric Berger wrote an op-ed that indicated he thought SpaceX would go public soon. Musk replied, basically confirming it.
Elon Musk confirmed through a post on X that a SpaceX initial public offering (IPO) is on the way after hinting at it several times earlier this year.
It also comes one day after Bloomberg reported that SpaceX was aiming for a valuation of $1.5 trillion, adding that it wanted to raise $30 billion.
Musk has been transparent for most of the year that he wanted to try to figure out a way to get Tesla shareholders to invest in SpaceX, giving them access to the stock.
He has also recognized the issues of having a public stock, like litigation exposure, quarterly reporting pressures, and other inconveniences.
However, it appears Musk is ready for SpaceX to go public, as Ars Technica Senior Space Editor Eric Berger wrote an op-ed that indicated he thought SpaceX would go public soon.
Musk replied, basically confirming it:
As usual, Eric is accurate
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 10, 2025
Berger believes the IPO would help support the need for $30 billion or more in capital needed to fund AI integration projects, such as space-based data centers and lunar satellite factories. Musk confirmed recently that SpaceX “will be doing” data centers in orbit.
AI appears to be a “key part” of SpaceX getting to Musk, Berger also wrote. When writing about whether or not Optimus is a viable project and product for the company, he says that none of that matters. Musk thinks it is, and that’s all that matters.
It seems like Musk has certainly mulled something this big for a very long time, and the idea of taking SpaceX public is not just likely; it is necessary for the company to get to Mars.
The details of when SpaceX will finally hit that public status are not known. Many of the reports that came out over the past few days indicate it would happen in 2026, so sooner rather than later.
But there are a lot of things on Musk’s plate early next year, especially with Cybercab production, the potential launch of Unsupervised Full Self-Driving, and the Roadster unveiling, all planned for Q1.
Tesla has added the 15th automaker to the growing list of companies whose EVs can utilize the Supercharger Network this year, as BMW is the latest company to gain access to the largest charging infrastructure in the world.
BMW became the 15th company in 2025 to gain Tesla Supercharger access, after the company confirmed to its EV owners that they could use any of the more than 25,000 Supercharging stalls in North America.
Welcome @BMW owners.
Download the Tesla app to charge → https://t.co/vnu0NHA7Ab
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) December 10, 2025
Newer BMW all-electric cars, like the i4, i5, i7, and iX, are able to utilize Tesla’s V3 and V4 Superchargers. These are the exact model years, via the BMW Blog:
- i4: 2022-2026 model years
- i5: 2024-2025 model years
- 2026 i5 (eDrive40 and xDrive40) after software update in Spring 2026
- i7: 2023-2026 model years
- iX: 2022-2025 model years
- 2026 iX (all versions) after software update in Spring 2026
With the expansion of the companies that gained access in 2025 to the Tesla Supercharger Network, a vast majority of non-Tesla EVs are able to use the charging stalls to gain range in their cars.
So far in 2025, Tesla has enabled Supercharger access to:
- Audi
- BMW
- Genesis
- Honda
- Hyundai
- Jaguar Land Rover
- Kia
- Lucid
- Mercedes-Benz
- Nissan
- Polestar
- Subaru
- Toyota
- Volkswagen
- Volvo
Drivers with BMW EVs who wish to charge at Tesla Superchargers must use an NACS-to-CCS1 adapter. In Q2 2026, BMW plans to release its official adapter, but there are third-party options available in the meantime.
They will also have to use the Tesla App to enable Supercharging access to determine rates and availability. It is a relatively seamless process.
News
Tesla adds new feature that will be great for crowded parking situations
This is the most recent iteration of the app and was priming owners for the slowly-released Holiday Update.
Tesla has added a new feature that will be great for crowded parking lots, congested parking garages, or other confusing times when you cannot seem to pinpoint where your car went.
Tesla has added a new Vehicle Locator feature to the Tesla App with App Update v4.51.5.
This is the most recent iteration of the app and was priming owners for the slowly-released Holiday Update.
While there are several new features, which we will reveal later in this article, perhaps one of the coolest is that of the Vehicle Locator, which will now point you in the direction of your car using a directional arrow on the home screen. This is similar to what Apple uses to find devices:
Interesting. The location arrow in the Tesla app now points to your car when you’re nearby. pic.twitter.com/b0yjmwwzxN
— Whole Mars Catalog (@wholemars) December 7, 2025
In real time, the arrow gives an accurate depiction of which direction you should walk in to find your car. This seems extremely helpful in large parking lots or unfamiliar shopping centers.
Getting to your car after a sporting event is an event all in itself; this feature will undoubtedly help with it:
The nice little touch that Tesla have put in the app – continuous tracking of your vehicle location relative to you.
There’s people reporting dizziness testing this.
To those I say… try spinning your phone instead. 😉 pic.twitter.com/BAYmJ3mzzD
— Some UK Tesla Guy (UnSupervised…) (@SomeUKTeslaGuy) December 8, 2025
Tesla’s previous app versions revealed the address at which you could locate your car, which was great if you parked on the street in a city setting. It was also possible to use the map within the app to locate your car.
However, this new feature gives a more definitive location for your car and helps with the navigation to it, instead of potentially walking randomly.
It also reveals the distance you are from your car, which is a big plus.
Along with this new addition, Tesla added Photobooth features, Dog Mode Live Activity, Custom Wraps and Tints for Colorizer, and Dashcam Clip details.
🚨 Tesla App v4.51.5 looks to be preparing for the Holiday Update pic.twitter.com/ztts8poV82
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 8, 2025
All in all, this App update was pretty robust.
SpaceX IPO is coming, CEO Elon Musk confirms
Tesla adds 15th automaker to Supercharger access in 2025
