Tesla delivered the Model 3 as its first mass-market electric car, designed to reach far more buyers than the company’s earlier vehicles.
Tesla unveiled the Model 3 in March 2016 and began customer deliveries in July 2017. Its lower starting price compared with Tesla’s earlier premium models was central to the company’s plan to expand electric vehicles beyond luxury buyers.
The Model 3 followed the Roadster, Model S, and Model X. The Roadster demonstrated Tesla’s electric technology, while the Model S and Model X established the company in premium sedan and sport-utility segments.
The Model 3 name can be confused with Tesla’s chronological product sequence because it was not the company’s third vehicle. It was the third major consumer model line after the Roadster and Model S, with the Model X introduced before its deliveries began.