Last week, the Fremont Factory started producing the upgraded Model 3 sedan. With the change, Tesla effectively phased out the original Model 3. It was the end of an era, and numerous electric vehicle enthusiasts expressed their appreciation for the vehicle. The original Model 3, after all, is what made Tesla into a mainstream automaker — a company that is considered the undisputed trailblazer in the EV sector.
As we bid farewell to the original Model 3, it seems pertinent to look behind the vehicle that changed it all for the electric vehicle movement. While the Model S proved that EVs can be just as good or even better than combustion-powered cars, the Model 3 proved that EVs can compete with ICE-powered vehicles at a competitive price.
And that changed everything.
I still remembered my first time going to the show room at Palo Alto to sit in OG Model 3.
Woah, that felt like a future, and secretly hoping that I would own one someday and work for this company.
Then on my first year at Tesla, many old employees told me the legendary stories… pic.twitter.com/FDmCnH5dCX— Yun-Ta Tsai (@YunTaTsai1) January 11, 2024
Tesla’s iPhone moment
The Model 3 made a lot of headlines even before it was unveiled. At the time, the world was shocked as electric vehicle enthusiasts lined up outside Tesla stores so they could place a reservation for the Model 3, not unlike Apple fans waiting for the newest iPhone. But unlike Apple fans lining up for the newest iPhone, the Tesla fans lined up for a car whose design and specs are yet to be revealed.
That was a huge vote of confidence for Tesla and a huge step forward for the electric vehicle movement as a whole. It did, if any, show that there is ample interest in electric cars, provided that they are high quality and well-designed. The Model 3 is both of these things.
Still remember the day I picked up my 2017 Model3. It was absolutely mind blowing! All other cars became old and wrong after that day. Trying Autopark (while working at NIO lol) for the first time ?: https://t.co/iPaidk2mXy pic.twitter.com/qytzw3SvL7— Allen Veach (@allen_veach) January 11, 2024
The OG mainstream Tesla
The original Tesla Roadster proved that electric cars can be taken seriously. The Model S and Model X proved that EVs can be objectively and legitimately better than combustion-powered cars on every important metric. The Model 3 proved that EVs are ready for the mainstream market, and it was the success of the all-electric sedan that ultimately allowed Tesla to bring the Model Y to market.
Needless to say, without the Model 3, there would be no Model Y. And if it were not for the fact that the Model 3 was so well-loved all over the world, Tesla would have had a far harder time cracking the million-vehicle mark at all.
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Little story time for me and the now "legacy" Model 3:
As I was going through my late teens and entered my 20's, I was an anti-Tesla, Chevy Volt (with a V) elitist. I believed in lots of the anti-Tesla FUD, as I didn't know anyone in the Tesla community or anyone really that… https://t.co/dGdZHqV8OB— Anthony Spina (@Speenuh) January 11, 2024
“An AK-47 Disguised as a Butter Knife”
There are a lot of things to love about the Model 3. It’s filled to the brim with tech and safety features, even in its base model, and its performance is amazing. When Tesla started shipping Basic Autopilot as standard, the Model 3 pretty much became the best bang-for-the-buck car in the market. But beyond the tech and the features, the Model 3 is simply a great driver’s car. Chris Harris of Top Gear, during a review of the Model 3 Performance, remarked that the vehicle is an “AK-47 disguised as a butter knife.” That’s a perfect description of the Model 3.
It would not be an exaggeration to state that the Model 3, particularly the Model 3 Performance, is the most fun car in Tesla’s lineup. Its Track Mode feature proved that EVs can be driven hard around corners, and it could keep pace with the best ICE-powered track weapons out there. For now, all eyes are on Tesla to see if the company could release a worthy successor to the Model 3 Performance.
After an incredible 6.5 year run & and ~2.3 million units sold, legacy Model 3 production is ending.
The 2017-2023 @Tesla Model 3 not only revolutionized the auto industry, but also dismantled the notion that EVs couldn't be profitable low-cost mass-market cars ? pic.twitter.com/4W8i5jiDX4— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) January 11, 2024
An Everlasting Legacy
Tesla owes its current success to the Model 3. CEO Elon Musk himself admitted that during the Model 3’s infamous production hell, Tesla came close to dying. But the company didn’t fail. Instead, demand for the Model 3 remained healthy, and the all-electric sedan became so successful that Tesla was able to build a strong, profitable business on its back.
The original Model 3 may be gone from Tesla’s production lines at the Fremont Factory and Gigafactory Shanghai. Despite this, the vehicle’s legacy shall live on. Its successor is promising, as the upgraded Model 3 has been critically acclaimed by owners and professional reviewers alike since it was initially revealed last year.
Tesla watchers note that over the original Model 3’s 6.5-year run, the vehicle sold about 2.3 million units. That’s not bad at all for a car that Tesla critics assumed had serious demand problems from the get-go.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
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SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) got an absolutely crazy price target rating from Raymond James after the company experienced a tough first few weeks following its Initial Public Offering (IPO).
Despite the tumultuous start, SpaceX has plenty of believers, and the company’s massively successful Starship launch last Friday, its 13th test flight of the massive rocket, went so smoothly that Raymond James analysts pushed its price target on the company to roughly 7 times its current trading level.
SpaceX Starship just nailed something it’s never done before
The firm officially put a “Strong Buy” rating and an $800 price target on the stock. It currently trades at around $113. Its all-time high is $225.64, reaching this trading level shortly after shares first went public.
Raymond James’ price target is tied to the firm’s confidence after Starship’s 13th test flight. Analysts at the firm said it was an incremental step that reduces engineering risks, citing the widely successful heat shield test that CEO Elon Musk recently detailed, the smooth deployment of Starlink V3 satellites, and a successful in-space engine relight.
SpaceX also managed to see Starship splash down safely in the Indian Ocean, while the Super Heavy Booster fell down to the Gulf of America with no incidents.
It is interesting to see these launches have such a tremendous impact on the stock and what investors think of it. After SpaceX initially delayed the Starship launch last week, shares fell tremendously. Most probably did not realize that the stand-down is a standard practice, especially if everything is not perfect.
The mission was initially aborted due to an issue with Raptor engines. This was resolved, and Starship launched last Friday after another delay on Thursday, which was caused by weather.
Now that analysts have seen what SpaceX launches are capable of and how impressive the feat is, firms are adjusting their price targets accordingly, making it known that they have high expectations for the space exploration company.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has responded to reports that Volvo is officially discontinuing the LiDAR sensor on two of its cars.
Volvo announced that it would officially scrap LiDAR systems on its EX90 and ES90 vehicles in various markets. In Norway, owners will get a €1,800 compensation for features that will never arrive due to this decision. There will be no option to remove the unit from vehicles, either.
The issue stems from Volvo’s supplier, Luminar, and its bankruptcy filing. Luminar will no longer be able to supply LiDAR units to Volvo for the EX90 and ES90, effectively axing any use the unit has on vehicles. Volvo will phase out the data collection processes via the LiDAR system, and it will not be utilized whatsoever.
Musk saw the story on X and responded, stating:
“I did try to warn them. Humans drive using neural nets and optical sensors. Same is true for robot cars.”
I did try to warn them.
Humans drive using neural nets and optical sensors. Same is true for robot cars.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 29, 2026
Musk has been publicly vocal about his disdain for LiDAR systems, once calling them “a fool’s errand,” as he has consistently kept the outlook that they are not needed for effective self-driving.
The typical example used as evidence for this by Musk is humans themselves: made with only eyes and memories, humans are capable of navigating a car by using what they can see and what they’ve personally experienced on the road.
Elon Musk argues lidar and radar make self driving cars more dangerous
“Same is true for robot cars,” Musk says, as Teslas have eight exterior cameras that help see everything surrounding the vehicle, and a neural network that analyzes behavior and tendencies with every mile driven.
Tesla is a vision-only self-driving company that ditched sensors and radar several years ago in favor of cameras. Behind this effort, the company has established a reputation for having one of the most robust self-driving platforms in the world.
Musk’s big bet with Tesla on its self-driving program’s strategy has widely paid off. Other companies continue to utilize things like LiDAR, radar, and sensors for effective self-driving, but Tesla has shown that there is more than one way to give consumers a strong and accurate driver assistance suite.
The real question is: who will be the first company to take Musk’s advice and attempt a self-driving platform based on cameras only, or even license FSD for themselves?
Tesla has started to deploy the 2026 Summer Update to owners across its fleet, and among the biggest changes are improvements to Navigation, a new startup animation for the Model 3 and Model Y, Caraoke scoring, and new capabilities for Grok.
As the update has started making its way to some cars, we can now see a few of the features operating in real-time. We will show you what some of the new features look like in this article, along with some additional details on what changed.
Not all of the new features in the 2026 Summer Update have quite made an appearance, but some of them have, so we’ll show those here:
New Animation Screen for 3/Y
Tesla is rolling out a new startup animation for Tesla Model 3 and Model Y owners. This is present in Launch Edition and Performance Model 3 and Model Y, but other trim levels do not have anything like this.
The new animation screen on Model 3/Y with the 2026 Summer Update
Apparently color will also be customizable: pic.twitter.com/wSdwggtG3S
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 27, 2026
Owners can adjust the color associated with the startup animation to suit their preferences. It is a surprise that more automakers do not focus on this animation for their vehicles; it can be a great first impression piece and make the car immediately feel more luxurious.
Tesla has included this on more premium trims, but it is nice to see it on the Model 3 and Model Y.
Grok Improvements
Grok can now adjust more things in the car outside of the Navigation system. Now, drivers can adjust anything from climate to driving settings by simply speaking to the AI assistant in the car:
@Tesla‘s AI assistant (Grok) with its new vehicle commands in action.
Set the climate, your destination and vehicle settings all in one go! pic.twitter.com/0bBTqaAk6G
— Not a Tesla App (@NotATeslaApp) July 28, 2026
You don’t even have to push a button, either. Instead, you can just say “Hey, Grok,” if you have it enabled. That feature rolled out with the 2026 Spring Update just a few months back.
This is a great feature, especially pertinent for the Robotaxi platform, as there will be no buttons inside the Cybercab when it eventually starts giving rides to the public. It also broadens Grok’s capabilities, which were relatively limited in terms of vehicle setting adjustments beforehand.
SpaceX gets an absolutely crazy price target after rough IPO
Elon Musk responds to Volvo’s latest LiDAR decision
