Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that owners of the now-discontinued Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive configuration will have the opportunity to purchase the company’s basic Autopilot in the future at a discounted price.
The idea came from a Tesla owner known as Jason (@jgrano305), who asked about the potential upgrade to Musk on Twitter. “Any way original LRRWD Model 3 owners can get an opportunity again to purchase basic AP for a slightly discounted price?” he said. Musk responded positively to the idea. “Oh sure, good point. Will discuss with the team & make available to buy in Tesla app,” the CEO said.
Currently, owners of the Model 3 who purchased their vehicle before April 2019 did not have basic Autopilot included with the car. Owners of early build Model 3s were required to purchase basic Autopilot functions for $3,000.
The exclusion of basic Autopilot functions, which includes Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer, has caused a bit of a stir with some owners of the discontinued variant of the Model 3. Some customers who had placed orders for the LR RWD configurations in Tesla’s inventory have ended up canceling orders after finding out that the purchase price of the car would be increased by $3,000.
Tesla discontinued the production of the LR RWD Model 3 in June 2019. After the vehicle was introduced as the first version of the Model 3, the company eventually retired the variant from its online configurator, along with the $35,000 Standard Range RWD trim. Both options were only available through in-store and over the phone ordering.
However, it was only a matter of time before the LR RWD Model 3 was fully retired. Tesla removed the vehicle from production lines completely. The $35,000 Model 3, on the other hand, still remains as an “off-menu” purchase that can be bought through a Tesla store, or over the phone.
The LR RWD variant of the Model 3 offered a 325-mile EPA-estimated range rating along with a 4.9-second 0-60 MPH speed, just half a second slower than its sibling, the LR AWD variant. The car was a good option for those who wanted a vehicle that had a lot of range but did not need the all-wheel-drive capability.
With the inclusion of an option to purchase basic Autopilot functions in the Tesla app, owners of one of Tesla’s discontinued Model 3 variants will be able to experience features that newer owners have as standard. The addition of these functions will not only create a safer driving experience, but it will also contribute to the development of more driving features in the future.