Tesla Model 3 Arrives in China Two Years After Its Launch
Tesla cars always seem to be controversial. Just a few days ago, Kanye West showed off his fanatic image as a Tesla fan on Twitter. But what we want to answer is, for a consumer who knows nothing about Tesla and Elon Musk, is the Model 3 really an excellent affordable car model?
Design
Seeing is believing, let’s start with the design.
The design is divided into exterior and interior. For Tesla’s chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen, how to reduce the widely praised design of the Model S/X to a lower-end model like the Model 3 without being too showy in the entire product line is a big challenge.
Now it seems that he has resolved this challenge very well. Let’s take a look at the pictures.
Franz previously stated that Tesla cars would not chase radical avant-garde design to the point of being unacceptable. This principle has been well inherited by Tesla’s three models.
For example, the side waistline of the Model 3 is similar to that of the Model S, but the rear end treatment is closer to the Model X. Compared to the Model S/X, the headlights of the Model 3 are obviously less aggressive and become more soft and friendly.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Franz’s design principle, which they praise, is the combination of aesthetics and functionality. Many details of the Model 3 reflect this, for example, the charging port is located on the left taillight, without a dedicated hole; the front trunk of the Model 3 is equipped with two hooks, limited by the shallow vertical direction of the platform, but with an increased horizontal area – this is a reasonable space to place a 20-inch suitcase; the center console of the car is equipped with two charging ports, one for Android Type-C and one for iPhone Lightning interface…these are all small details that Tesla pays more attention to in terms of functionality.
The interior has two highlights. The first is the obvious improvement in workmanship, which Tesla officially emphasizes. Many Model 3 owners who have already received the car have also shared their experiences on YouTube and Tesla forums, so I won’t go into detail.
The second is extreme simplicity and restraint. At first, I thought this kind of feeling came from discarding the dashboard and integrating all the information into the large central screen. But in fact, this is the result of the combined effects of greatly simplified steering wheel buttons and hidden air vents, making the interior only show a sense of simplicity and technology. I personally tested the removal of the dashboard and found that the front vision became more open.
As the saying goes, “less is more”, which shows the designer’s skill.
Performance and ConfigurationAcceleration is a given – when Elon Musk said “Tesla doesn’t make slow cars” at the press conference two years ago, he meant it. The high-end Model 3 can reach 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds, while the low-end model takes just 5.6 seconds. As for range, the globally recognized EPA test gave ratings of 220 miles (354 km) and 310 miles (498 km).
Musk once watched Volvo and the Model 3 collide in a test and joked that Volvo was the world’s second safest car brand. The Model 3 received top safety ratings in each of its individual tests by European and American safety institutions. The Autopilot 2.0 hardware which enabled advanced driver assistance functions on the Model S/X is also standard on the Model 3. The Model 3 also has six front airbags, two side curtain airbags, and two LATCH child seat interfaces in the second row.
What are the differences between the Model 3 and the Model S/X?
Aside from superior performance, longer range, and greater space, many of the luxury features on the Model S/X, such as automatically popping door handles, falcon-wing doors, and air suspension, are absent from the Model 3. However, the Model 3 has improved its practical and functional configurations, which are more important to many mid-range consumer markets.
So, what is standard across the entire range of Tesla models? Non-negotiable safety, performance, handling, and intelligent technology.
Finally, I know you want to know – while this car is making its debut at the Beijing Auto Show, several other Model 3s will also be on display at Tesla’s offline stores across the country. There are four stores open for preview, located in Beijing Blue Harbor, Beijing Tesla Qiaofufang Grassland, Shanghai Tesla Taikoo Hui, and Guangzhou Tesla Tianhui Plaza.
After just 15 days, over 400,000 Model 3 reservations were placed – this solidifies the Model 3’s position as the iPhone 4 of the smart car industry. If the Model S proved the ability of smart electric cars to compete with traditional luxury brands, then the Model 3’s debut is a fatal blow that new car-making forces led by Tesla are dealing to traditional old car companies.
As for whether you should buy it or not, what do you think?
Check out a video of Gerrit Guns experiencing the Model 3 below.“`markdown
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.