What was the base price of the Tesla Model 3 at its launch?

The base price of the Tesla Model 3 at its launch was $35,000.

Tesla unveiled the Model 3 in March 2016 as its more affordable, mass-market electric car. The $35,000 figure was central to the vehicle’s appeal and fit Tesla’s broader strategy of using revenue from the Roadster, Model S, and Model X to develop a lower-priced model.

The first customer deliveries began in July 2017, but production initially focused on higher-priced versions. Tesla did not make the $35,000 configuration widely available until February 2019, when the Standard Range model was announced. That version was later removed from Tesla’s online ordering system and became available only through stores or phone orders.

A common mix-up is confusing the promised base price with the typical transaction price. Options, taxes, delivery charges, and the initially available Long Range and Performance versions pushed many early Model 3 purchases well above $35,000. The figure also referred to the U.S. price before incentives and additional costs.