Tesla is bringing back its longer-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 have an EPA-estimated range of 363 miles. This could be a significant addition to Tesla’s lineup at a time when production and sales are falling.
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 new look, thanks to an updated design launched in the US earlier this year.
The new trim is nearly $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.
Another thing to keep in mind: Tesla has been accused of overestimating its autonomy values for some time now. A report last year found that there was a lot of elasticity in how Tesla calculates its range, which often results in unrealistic numbers.
But when you take into account the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles, the new Long Range RWD version hits the mythical $35,000 mark that Tesla originally promised when the Model 3 first launched in 2017.
The price even got Tesla CEO Elon Musk excited.