The excitement surrounding the Model 3 came to a peak last night as Tesla finally lifted the curtain on their latest electric car. As one can expect, it’s a sexy looking ride but it’s accomplishments go far beyond looks. It just may be the best all-electric car we have ever seen. If competitors like Mitsubishi and Nissan want any chance at the top spot, they’re going have their hands full.
A DEFINING MOMENT FOR TESLA MODEL 3
In the past, Tesla has had a hard time competing with others such as Mitsubishi and Nissan due to their cartoonishly high prices. CEO Elon Musk has always wanted to bring his electric cars to the masses and now, the Model 3 will allow him to do just that. Besides accomplishing his dream, he can now effectively out-compete the cheaper options out there. The sedan’s $35,000 base price puts it right in the range of every other new, gas-powered and electric cars on the market. With the federal and state incentives to the mix and that number will go down further. Add the signature Tesla sexiness to the mix and the Model 3 is hard to turn down. Now, it just has to follow through with its 2017 release date and performance.
MITSUBISHI IMPRESSIVE BUT FLAWED
Mitsubishi’s entry into the electric car market is nothing to scoff att. Their little i-MiEV Electric Car is cute and efficient but probably won’t stack up to the greatness of the Tesla Model 3. For one, it looks horrendous. This wannabee, electric, lady bug contraption will never hold a candle to the sportiness of the Model 3. In addition to that, it’s best left for driving at low speed. High speeds see the Mitsubishi become somewhat twitchy and thrown off by truck runs, road crowning, and tramlines. For something so small, one would think the range would be a positive factor, however, even that is inferior. The Mitsubishi i-MiEV gets a measly 62 miles on its 16-kWh battery compared to 200 miles of some of the heavier hitters. It’s a nice attempt, but this tiny clown car is best left for the casual driver.
NISSAN LEAF MAY PUT UP A FIGHT
The Nissan Leaf has become a very popular option for budget conscious, environmentally concerned drivers. The 2016 Nissan Leaf comes in at $34,000, putting it in the same range as the latest Tesla. However, for the same price, the Nissan Leaf doesn’t exactly deliver as much. Drivers can expect an adequate 107 miles on a single charge. In terms of design, The Nissan Leaf certainly isn’t ugly and it’s equipped with some impressive technological features likes navigation, mobile apps and a pretty, 7″ color display. Unfortunately, the Nissan Leaf will probably fall short in competing against Elon Musk’s baby and his legion of diehard fans.
