Connect with us

News

Tesla launches new Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive priced at under $35k

Published

on

Tesla has launched a new Model 3 configuration in the United States that will be under $35,000 after the federal electric vehicle tax credit is applied.

The new Model 3, known as the Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive, is one of the most well-thought-out EVs Tesla has come out with. For an ultra-affordable price, owners will get over 360 miles of range, exceptional acceleration, and a high-top speed comparable with most luxury cars.

Tesla Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive

Starting at $34,990 after the $7,500 EV tax credit, the Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive is the most affordable vehicle in Tesla’s lineup, coming in at $4,000 under the normal RWD configuration.

The vehicle has an EPA-estimated 363 miles of range, and goes 125 MPH at its peak. Adding to the performance metrics, it also goes from 0-60 MPH in just 4.9 seconds.

Tesla also launched the vehicle in Puerto Rico.

Tesla for under $30,000

While the federal EV tax credit brings the vehicle down to $34,990, Tesla also factors in $5,000 of gas savings over the span of five years. This would bring the vehicle down, hypothetically, for under $30,000, at $29,999.

Advertisement
-->

For the price, the range and performance simply do not get much better. There are very few electric vehicles on the market right now that are even close to comparable at this price point with its performance metrics and range rating.

Tesla currently does not have the vehicle listed for lease availability.

First Deliveries

It appears Tesla is prepared to deliver this new Model 3 configuration before the end of the month. Delivery is already listed at between July and August 2024.

Tesla launched this new Model 3 body style earlier this year in the United States. Called “Highland” by many, the vehicle features more defined exterior shaping and new headlights. It also has better suspension and handling, and an even more minimalistic interior.

We test drove one when they first came to the U.S. You can check out that review here:

Advertisement
-->

I drove the new Tesla Model 3, here’s what got better

All in all, this is a good move by Tesla. Offering such a great price on a Model 3 with this amount of range and next-level performance should help sell more units.

Model 3 demand has taken a backseat to the Model Y in recent years, so anything to complement the great options on the crossover side with a competitive sedan offering will benefit the company and consumers alike.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Advertisement
-->

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla AI team burns the Christmas midnight oil by releasing FSD v14.2.2.1

The update was released just a day after FSD v14.2.2 started rolling out to customers. 

Published

on

Credit: Grok

Tesla is burning the midnight oil this Christmas, with the Tesla AI team quietly rolling out Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14.2.2.1 just a day after FSD v14.2.2 started rolling out to customers. 

Tesla owner shares insights on FSD v14.2.2.1

Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester @BLKMDL3 shared some insights following several drives with FSD v14.2.2.1 in rainy Los Angeles conditions with standing water and faded lane lines. He reported zero steering hesitation or stutter, confident lane changes, and maneuvers executed with precision that evoked the performance of Tesla’s driverless Robotaxis in Austin.

Parking performance impressed, with most spots nailed perfectly, including tight, sharp turns, in single attempts without shaky steering. One minor offset happened only due to another vehicle that was parked over the line, which FSD accommodated by a few extra inches. In rain that typically erases road markings, FSD visualized lanes and turn lines better than humans, positioning itself flawlessly when entering new streets as well.

“Took it up a dark, wet, and twisty canyon road up and down the hill tonight and it went very well as to be expected. Stayed centered in the lane, kept speed well and gives a confidence inspiring steering feel where it handles these curvy roads better than the majority of human drivers,” the Tesla owner wrote in a post on X.

Tesla’s FSD v14.2.2 update

Just a day before FSD v14.2.2.1’s release, Tesla rolled out FSD v14.2.2, which was focused on smoother real-world performance, better obstacle awareness, and precise end-of-trip routing. According to the update’s release notes, FSD v14.2.2 upgrades the vision encoder neural network with higher resolution features, enhancing detection of emergency vehicles, road obstacles, and human gestures.

Advertisement
-->

New Arrival Options also allowed users to select preferred drop-off styles, such as Parking Lot, Street, Driveway, Parking Garage, or Curbside, with the navigation pin automatically adjusting to the ideal spot. Other refinements include pulling over for emergency vehicles, real-time vision-based detours for blocked roads, improved gate and debris handling, and Speed Profiles for customized driving styles.

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

Elon Musk’s Grok records lowest hallucination rate in AI reliability study

Grok achieved an 8% hallucination rate, 4.5 customer rating, 3.5 consistency, and 0.07% downtime, resulting in an overall risk score of just 6.

Published

on

UK Government, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

A December 2025 study by casino games aggregator Relum has identified Elon Musk’s Grok as one of the most reliable AI chatbots for workplace use, boasting the lowest hallucination rate at just 8% among the 10 major models tested. 

In comparison, market leader ChatGPT registered one of the highest hallucination rates at 35%, just behind Google’s Gemini, which registered a high hallucination rate of 38%. The findings highlight Grok’s factual prowess despite the AI model’s lower market visibility.

Grok tops hallucination metric

The research evaluated chatbots on hallucination rate, customer ratings, response consistency, and downtime rate. The chatbots were then assigned a reliability risk score from 0 to 99, with higher scores indicating bigger problems.

Grok achieved an 8% hallucination rate, 4.5 customer rating, 3.5 consistency, and 0.07% downtime, resulting in an overall risk score of just 6. DeepSeek followed closely with 14% hallucinations and zero downtime for a stellar risk score of 4. ChatGPT’s high hallucination and downtime rates gave it the top risk score of 99, followed by Claude and Meta AI, which earned reliability risk scores of 75 and 70, respectively. 

Why low hallucinations matter

Relum Chief Product Officer Razvan-Lucian Haiduc shared his thoughts about the study’s findings. “About 65% of US companies now use AI chatbots in their daily work, and nearly 45% of employees admit they’ve shared sensitive company information with these tools. These numbers show well how important chatbots have become in everyday work. 

“Dependence on AI tools will likely increase even more, so companies should choose their chatbots based on how reliable and fit they are for their specific business needs. A chatbot that everyone uses isn’t necessarily the one that works best for your industry or gives accurate answers for your tasks.”

Advertisement
-->

In a way, the study reveals a notable gap between AI chatbots’ popularity and performance, with Grok’s low hallucination rate positioning it as a strong choice for accuracy-critical applications. This was despite the fact that Grok is not used as much by users, at least compared to more mainstream AI applications such as ChatGPT. 

Continue Reading

News

Tesla (TSLA) receives “Buy” rating and $551 PT from Canaccord Genuity

He also maintained a “Buy” rating for TSLA stock over the company’s improving long-term outlook, which is driven by autonomy and robotics.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla China

Canaccord Genuity analyst George Gianarikas raised his Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) price target from $482 to $551. He also maintained a “Buy” rating for TSLA stock over the company’s improving long-term outlook, which is driven by autonomy and robotics. 

The analyst’s updated note

Gianarikas lowered his 4Q25 delivery estimates but pointed to several positive factors in the Tesla story. He noted that EV adoption in emerging markets is gaining pace, and progress in FSD and the Robotaxi rollout in 2026 represent major upside drivers. Further progress in the Optimus program next year could also add more momentum for the electric vehicle maker. 

“Overall, yes, 4Q25 delivery expectations are being revised lower. However, the reset in the US EV market is laying the groundwork for a more durable and attractive long-term demand environment. 

“At the same time, EV penetration in emerging markets is accelerating, reinforcing Tesla’s potential multi‑year growth runway beyond the US. Global progress in FSD and the anticipated rollout of a larger robotaxi fleet in 2026 are increasingly important components of the Tesla equity story and could provide sentiment tailwinds,” the analyst wrote. 

Tesla’s busy 2026

The upcoming year would be a busy one for Tesla, considering the company’s plans and targets. The autonomous two-seat Cybercab has been confirmed to start production sometime in Q2 2026, as per Elon Musk during the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting.

Advertisement
-->

Apart from this, Tesla is also expected to unveil the next-generation Roadster on April 1, 2026. Tesla is also expected to start high-volume production of the Tesla Semi in Nevada next year. 

Apart from vehicle launches, Tesla has expressed its intentions to significantly ramp the rollout of FSD to several regions worldwide, such as Europe. Plans are also underway to launch more Robotaxi networks in several more key areas across the United States.

Continue Reading