In March of this year, luxury auto maker Tesla announced a new electric car. The Tesla 3, listed at $35,000, is the most popular electric car this year.  As of August 5th, there were 400,000 pre orders,  almost 386,000 more pre orders than the highest sold electric car in the United States this year.

Tesla’s model S sells for around $70,000, making this new model a much more affordable option in comparison to the average car. According to Kelly Blue Book, the average new car transaction was $33,666 in March 2016, making the Tesla 3 just slightly more expensive than the average car.

 “Maybe with the technology, they will get a little cheaper,”  Auto and Applied Technology teacher Mr. Kip Baxter, “but I think people will go to leasing cars to keep the cost down,”  This was also because of the technicality involved in the cars. “They’re unbelievably complex and the wiring is like a computer, and a computer is only good for two to three years. These cars are going to be just like a computer.”

This indicates that there may be a slight problem with reliability and durability with these new cars.  Leasing cars makes them more affordable than buying them if one is only looking to keep the car for a few years as Baxter predicts.  Also, with more complexity, the cost of maintenance goes up. Electronic components are more expensive than normal car components, because parts break individually.  Baxter predicts that this new round of cars may mean we might be seeing more new cars on the road in the future.  

There are certainly differing opinions on what the future may hold in terms of cars.  “I think traditional cars will be around for at least another 100 years or so,” Car enthusiast Tommy Campbell (12) said.  While Campbell believes that we will have regular cars for a long time, Baxter believes differently: ”I think that in 20 years all cars will be electric.”  While this is a good possibility, even the Tesla 3 still has a little ways to go.

“The Tesla Model 3 lacks a lot of technology that is standard on the Model S and Model X. Not only is technology sacrificed, but speed and range is as well,” Jared Stoller (12) said.

 The published range of the Tesla 3 is 215 miles.  While this is an improvement over most current electric cars, it is still not practical for most people. Anything beyond a longer commute is difficult with the Tesla 3 due to its range: “if I am low on gas, it only takes a few minutes to fill my tank. Electric cars take hours to fully charge,” said Stoller  This makes going on a road trip very difficult, as finding charging locations along the side of interstates is difficult and time consuming.  The charging time for the Tesla 3 is not yet published, but it is expected to take multiple hours to fully charge.   

While there are certainly limitations on electric cars, the Tesla 3 definitely takes a step in the right direction for electric cars in general. “The Tesla Model 3 is a great step towards making electric cars the new way of transportation,” Stoller said.  The popularity of the Tesla 3 certainly indicates that it is a significant advancement in electric car technology with the 400,000 pre orders.  The first car is expected to be delivered in late 2017, beginning on the West Coast of the United States.  While Tesla will do its best to quickly produce the Model 3 in its new “Gigafactory” in Nevada, it is estimated it will take over a year to deliver all of the Teslas currently reserved.

Tesla founder Elon Musk tweeted out “Tesla is increasing the production ramp as fast as possible, but I’d recommend ordering a Model 3 soon if you want 2018 delivery It appears that the newest innovation in electric cars will spark further innovation in the concept, leading some to believe all cars will be electric within half of a century.