Tesla Model 3

The Tesla Model 3 is a battery-electric compact executive sedan manufactured by the American automaker Tesla since 2017.

Production scaled up during 2018 after initial assembly line bottlenecks, reaching a manufacturing pace of 5,000 vehicles per week by mid-year. Tesla opened a second assembly facility at Gigafactory Shanghai in December 2019 to produce cars for Asian and European markets. In June 2021, the Model 3 became the first electric vehicle in history to cross one million cumulative sales worldwide. It was the best-selling electric car globally for four consecutive years from 2018 through 2021. The platform also served as the structural foundation for the Model Y crossover, sharing roughly 75 percent of its component parts.

Powertrain setups include single-motor rear-wheel-drive configurations alongside dual-motor all-wheel-drive variants. The 2024 Performance trim features dual electric motors producing 380 kW (510 hp), accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds with a top speed of 262 km/h (163 mph). Energy storage relies on lithium iron phosphate or nickel-manganese-cobalt battery packs, delivering an EPA-rated range between 438 km (272 mi) and 584 km (363 mi). In 2023, Tesla introduced a major styling refresh that dropped aerodynamic drag to a coefficient of 0.219.

Inside the cabin, Tesla eliminated traditional physical dashboard gauges, routing speedometer, climate, and media controls through a central 15.4-inch horizontal touchscreen. In automotive evaluations, the vehicle secured five-star safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the European New Car Assessment Programme in 2019. Automotive media recognition included the 2019 UK Car of the Year award and the 2019 Auto Express Car of the Year title. By the end of 2021, global deliveries had surpassed 1.2 million vehicles.