Tesla Model 3
Tesla owner shares $35k Model 3 Standard Range complete buying guide
If you are wondering if a $35,000 Model 3 exists or if you are asking how to order a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range, then your prayers have been answered. A recent customer who bought Tesla’s cheapest Model 3 has created a quick buying guide for everyone.
YouTuber Car Confections, who bought Tesla’s most affordable car, shared their buying experience, proving to critics that the $35,000 Model 3 does indeed exist. The base price includes white paint, black interior, and Aero Wheels before the destination fee. This does not include the potential savings but it is the price that a buyer would pay when one takes delivery of the vehicle.
It could be confusing for those who want to buy a Standard Range version of Tesla’s mass-produced electric sedan because that variant of the Model 3 does not show up on the carmaker’s website. When one goes to the Tesla Model 3 Design Studio, one will only see Rear-Wheel Drive Standard Range Plus ($39,990), Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive Long Range ($48,990), and Performance ($56,990).
“I called Tesla on the phone… I was like ‘hey you know what’s up with this $35,000 Tesla. What they told me was that it’s not on the website, it’s a special order,” YouTuber Car Confections said.
Car Confections actually called Tesla to inquire about the Model 3 Standard Range and learned how to properly order the cheapest Model 3 without ending up with a Standard Range Plus.
STEP 1 – Order a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus
Go to the Tesla Model 3 page and configure your Model 3 Standard Range plus to how you want it to be. You will end up with the price of the SR Plus but don’t panic, just go through the whole process and pay the Order Fee of $100.
Remember, do not include the Full Self-Driving Capability option as this feature adds $7,000 to the price tag. The Pearl White paint is already included in the base price but you have to pay an extra $1,000 if you will go with a Solid Black, Midnight Silver Metallic, or a Deep Blue Metallic. A Red Multi-Coat will cost an extra $2,000. For the interior, All Black interior will not cost you a penny but a Black and White interior will set you back another $1,000.
STEP 2 – STOP!
Once you’ve placed your deposit STOP and DO NOT DO ANYTHING. While you can provide information and fill out some paperwork, make sure you DO NOT finalize the Motor Vehicle Agreement.
There will be emails from Tesla that will walk you through the remaining process and the system will confirm your order for a Model 3 Standard Range Plus and prompt you to agree to a $41,000 price. Once you reach this stage, proceed to Step 3.
STEP 3 – Call Tesla to flag your Model 3 order
Reach out to a Tesla Store or showroom, provide the Tesla employee your VIN#, and request them to flag your Model 3 order to be a Standard Range model.
Take Note – This process will take several days to complete. DO NOT agree to the final paperwork until you see the price changed to $35,000.
STEP 4 – Review the final paperwork
Just like before any big purchase, review the paperwork and make sure all the details are correct.
STEP 5 – Wait for your Model 3 Standard Range and enjoy Tesla’s best-kept secret.
Just for some context, the Standard Range Model 3 is basically the same as its Standard Range Plus sibling. The primary difference is that its range is limited to 220 miles compared to the 250 miles of the more expensive variant.
The top speed of the Standard Range Model 3 is also limited to 129.9 mph while the Standard Range Plus can go as fast as 139.8 mph. The former is also a blink slower in terms of 0-60 mph sprint at 5.9 seconds while the latter accelerates from zero to 60 mph from a full stop in 5.3 seconds.
Check out Car Confections’ video below on how to buy a Model 3 Standard Range for $35,000:
Tesla is offering a tasty Supercharging incentive on certain Model 3 trims, but the company has officially put a concrete end date on it, so those interested should act fast.
Tesla is offering Free Supercharging for One Year on the Model 3 Premium and Performance trims, the top two offerings of the all-electric sedan. There are three trims of the Model 3 that will have the Free Supercharging offer attached:
- Premium Rear-Wheel-Drive – $42,490
- Premium All-Wheel-Drive – $47,490
- Performance – $54,990
Tesla has now announced that this offer will expire on June 15, giving potential buyers about ten days to take advantage of the incentive.
This could be an additional incentive for car buyers to transition to electric vehicles. Many states are showing gas prices well over $4 per gallon, with the national average currently sitting at $4.22, according to AAA.
A free year of Supercharging miles would allow people to charge and travel for free, other than routine maintenance, which is already incredibly cheap compared to a gas car.
🚨 Tesla is now showing that it’s Free Supercharging offer for Model 3 Premium and Performance trims ends June 15 pic.twitter.com/VCLeddNSj8
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 5, 2026
At Tesla Superchargers, peak rates, meaning prices between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., average between $0.45 and $0.60. One year of driving at an average of 12,000 miles would cost between $1,000 and $1,500 at $0.50 per kWh. It’s a pretty good deal.
Supercharging prices have also increased recently:
Many of the Superchargers in my area just had their peak rates increased from $0.44 per kWh to $0.49, $0.52, and $0.54 per kWh
If you’re looking to save on your commute/travel for the next year, this Model 3 Free Supercharging incentive might not be a bad idea https://t.co/YDwwl4xxHk pic.twitter.com/DleURW7eqa
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 5, 2026
Tesla has used Free Supercharging to move units in the past, and it’s a great strategy for those who plan to use the car for longer commutes, cross-country drives, or do not have reliable access to home charging.
It should be noted that Tesla recommends that Supercharging be used at a minimum to preserve the life of the battery, as fast-charging is more stressful on the cells.
However, some people might not have an option, so the Free Supercharging incentive could truly be a great reason for many people to charge their cars.
The Supercharging incentive is short-term, and it is pretty rare that Tesla utilizes it, so once this offer is gone, we probably will not see it on the Model 3 for some time.
Lifestyle
Tesla saves its passengers again – This time after a 300-foot cliff fall in Malibu
A Tesla Model 3 fell 300 feet off a Malibu cliff and both passengers survived.
A Tesla Model 3 plunged roughly 300 feet off a cliff on Mulholland Highway in Malibu on Friday morning, May 29, 2026, and both occupants survived. The crash was reported at approximately 7:30 a.m. near the 2500 block of Mulholland Highway, triggering a multi-agency rescue operation involving Malibu Search and Rescue, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol, and McCormick Ambulance.
When first responders arrived, the male driver was outside the vehicle shouting for help while the female passenger remained pinned inside the Tesla. Rescue crews rappelled down the cliffside on ropes to reach the wreckage. A flight medic was lowered by helicopter to begin treating both victims, and the driver was hoisted up to the roadway before crews used the Jaws of Life to free the trapped passenger. Both were airlifted to a local trauma center with moderate injuries despite a remarkable result for a fall that steep.
The outcome is not surprising, considering Model 3 earned an overall 5-star rating from NHTSA in every category and sub-category, and recorded the lowest probability of injury of any car ever evaluated by the U.S. New Car Assessment Program. The absence of a traditional engine in the front of the vehicle creates a longer crumple zone that absorbs impact energy before it reaches occupants, and the battery pack running along the floor gives the car an unusually low center of gravity that reinforces structural rigidity.
This is not the first time a Tesla has kept passengers alive after going off a cliff. A Tesla Model Y carrying a family of four survived a plunge off a cliff at Devil’s Slide near San Francisco in January 2023, with two adults and two children walking away from a 250-foot fall. That incident drew widespread attention to how the structural integrity of Tesla’s electric platform performs in extreme crash scenarios that most vehicles would not survive.
Tesla Model Y driver who drove off cliff with family attempts to avoid criminal conviction
Tesla Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy, recently revealed the company has thought about introducing a Plaid powertrain on the Model 3, but there could be some challenges involved.
On the Ride the Lightning podcast, Moravy revealed that he thinks about a Plaid Model 3 “all the time,” and it certainly has a place in Tesla’s potential lineup of future vehicles.
Now that the Plaid powertrain is technically defunct due to the newfound absence of the Model S and Model X, Tesla could find a way to reintroduce the lightning-quick trim level to its mass-market vehicles.
But there are going to be some challenges with it. Moravy said that the Model 3 Plaid would likely adopt the carbon-sleeved motors that the Model S Plaid had. However, packaging would be a major challenge, as Moravy said on the podcast, it would be a “tight engineering squeeze.”
It’s important to note that there are no active production plans for the Model 3 Plaid at this point, but it’s also worth noting that with the Model S and Model X Plaid no longer available, Tesla would likely be willing to introduce something that is even more white-knuckle than the Model 3 Performance, which already boasts a 2.9-second 0-60 MPH acceleration rate and a top speed of 163 MPH.
Of course, there is the Roadster, but we don’t know when that will exactly make it to market, and we know that, for sure, it will not be accessible to many.
Tesla unveils juicy new detail on the Roadster and hints at new unveil timeline
Tesla has prided itself in building some of the best cars out there, but they’re also interested in building cars that are simply fun to be in.
A Plaid Model 3 could truly push the limits and could end up being one of the best cars Tesla will ever build, especially if it can shave off at least half of a second from its 0-60 MPH time and increase its top speed slightly.
More than anything, the real changes will be in the ride and aerodynamics. Tesla improving things like the suspension, handling, and downforce will be the true trademarks of its Plaid powertrain; putting it in the Model 3 could be a great move for the company and for customers interested in high-end performance.
Tesla owner fixes common feature complaint with crafty DIY retrofit
Tesla exec says Roadster unveil is soon — for real this time
