Tesla is bringing back its longest-range Model 3, which will also be the second cheapest version of the popular electric sedan available. The new trim will be available for $42,490, according to the website.
The rear-wheel-drive (RWD) version of the Long Range Model 3 will get an EPA-estimated range of 363 miles. That could be a significant addition to Tesla’s lineup at a time when production and sales are both drooping.
Tesla originally introduced the Long Range RWD Model 3 in 2017 but discontinued it two years later. Now, it’s back with a new sticker price and a new look, thanks to a refreshed design that launched in the US at the beginning of the year.
The new trim is almost $5,000 cheaper than the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive Long Range Model 3, but also $3,500 more than the standard-range RWD Model 3. It also has about 100 miles more range than the base Model 3, so keep that in mind, too.
Something else to keep in mind: Tesla has been accused of overestimating its range figures for a while now. A report from last year found there was a lot of elasticity in how Tesla calculates its range, which often results in unrealistic numbers.
But when you factor in the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, the new Long Range RWD version hits that mythical $35,000 mark that Tesla originally promised when the Model 3 was first introduced in 2017.
The price even got Tesla CEO Elon Musk excited.
