Tesla Model 3: referral codes, prices, range, reviews and UK release

21 May

Tesla Model 3: Elon Musk confirms price and specs for performance version

Tesla co-founder Elon Musk has revealed that a “performance” version of the company’s Model 3 electric car is in the works, and it could give some supercars a run for their money.

In a series of messages posted on his Twitter account, the South African-born billionaire said the company is “working on Model 3 dual motor all-wheel drive & performance” version that can achieve 0-60mph in a supercar-rivalling 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 155mph.

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The extra performance doesn’t come at the cost of battery range, though, with the sportier Model 3 offering the same 310-mile electric range as the standard car.

The sports EV will cost $78,000 (£58,000) - the same as the critically acclaimed BMW M3 saloon, but the Model 3 performance is “15% quicker & with better handling” , Musk said.

It’s not yet known how much power the faster Model 3 will have, but Auto Express says the car will be equipped with a dual-motor system. This consists of a motor on each axle, sending power to all four wheels.

The differences between the existing Model 3 and upcoming performance version are not just mechanical. The new car will feature a “carbon-fibre rear spoiler and 20-inch alloy wheels”, the magazine says.

The announcement comes in the wake of a series of production problems for Tesla’s budget EV over the past five months.

Hundreds of thousands of pre-orders have been placed for the base version of the Model 3 since it was unveiled in April 2016, The Guardian says, but an “over-reliance on automation” on the production line has resulted in a series setbacks.

However, Tesla has since claimed that its production output has improved, with the waiting time for some customers shrinking from 18 months to four to six months, the newspaper adds.