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

Tesla will 'anti-sell' Model 3, says Elon Musk

4 May

Tesla could be taking an unusual marketing approach with its new Model 3 saloon.   

According to chief executive Elon Musk, the company will "anti-sell" the electric vehicle, meaning it will not be advertised and there will be no test drives scheduled when it goes on sale.

Speaking to investors during a conference call, the inventor said the unorthodox marketing aimed to differentiate the entry-level saloon from its more expensive Model S sibling after "confusion" arose over which was Tesla's flagship. 

The new car was originally planned to be called the "Model E", he said, but a dispute with Ford over the name meant it had to be rebranded the Model 3.

However, while he thought the name change was a "clever" take on Model E, the move to a number had given fans the wrong impression, he added.

"We're doing our best to clear up that confusion so people do not think that Model 3 is somehow superior to Model S," he said.

"Model S will be better than Model 3, as it should be because it's a more expensive car." 

Although it will not hit the road until later this year, the Model 3 is already a hit with fans. Tens of thousands happily put down a £1,000 deposit for the car following its reveal in March 2016, with Bloomberg reporting the reservation count had reached 373,000 two months later.  Tesla has yet to reveal more recent pre-order numbers.

Buyers who acted quickly are expected to get their Model 3 later this year, with the majority following in 2018.

Tesla Model 3: Everything you need to know

20 April

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has confirmed that the upcoming Model 3 saloon will not include a traditional speedometer. 

He tweeted the news after fans quizzed him on the subject. 

Musk's argument for the lack of speedometer is that buyers "won't care" about its absence, although he later confirmed the car's "centre screen will show speed as an overlay that changes opacity according to relevance".

He also likened the driverless Model 3 to a taxi, BGR reports, saying that "the more autonomous a car is, the less dash info you need". 

Fans were given a brief glimpse at the Model 3's interior during its launch at the beginning of last year, when they saw a minimalistic dashboard with a large centralised touchscreen display at the top of the centre console. 

Tesla's affordable mass-market car also set to include a host of autonomous driving modes that will be upgraded through an over-the-air update programme, allowing the company to add software and firmware features after the vehicle has left the showroom.

Orders for the Model 3 have already opened, with customers who placed their £1,000 deposit expected to receive their cars at the end of the year. However, hundreds of thousands of orders have already been placed and many won't get their Model 3 until 2018.