Tesla Model 3 Will Be RWD, AWD A $5k Option, Gets “Spaceship” Steering… “System”?

Elon Musk is (to quote T-Rex) a 21st century boy, so it’s no surprise that he says what he has to say not at press conferences but through tweets.

No less than 68 of them, actually, at the moment of writing, concerning the recently unveiled Model 3 that caused quite a commotion around the globe.

In the car’s official presentation, Musk was coy about the details, saying “at Tesla, we don’t make slow cars”, referring to the six-seconds 0-60 mph sprint, and that the ones on display were not the definite articles customers will get starting late 2017.

Following last Thursday’s launch in LA, he has revealed that the Model 3 will come with rear-wheel drive as standard and all-wheel drive versions, with motors at the front and the back, will be “a lot faster” and will cost less than $5,000 to upgrade.

Replying to a request about incorporating more buttons on the plain-looking, two-spoke steering wheel, Musk tweeted: “Wait until you see the real steering controls and system for the 3. It feels like a spaceship.” Ever since Ferrari kickstarted this trend many have adopted this solution – Musk, though, talked about “controls” and “system”.

Since development is ongoing, a host of changes should be expected on the finished item. Lacking a grille, since it doesn’t actually need one as there’s no internal combustion engine to cool, gives the 3 a distinct appearance. However, it wasn’t met with universal praise and Musk commented that “some tweaking is underway” and “edge and contour refinement is ongoing”.

Unlike the Model S, Musk wants to launch the 3 overseas pretty quickly. Even with a European factory yet to be built, he promised he will not delay its availability; as for Asia, “Tesla will be in India before 3 production starts”.

He also addressed one of the concerns raised, namely that the $7,500 subsidy that was supposed to make the Model 3 a sub-30k car would expire, according to Tesla’s own sales projections, soon after it goes on sale, the charismatic CEO was adamant that the timetable “should enable a large number of new customers” to qualify – and, even though the first batch will be sold in California, the East Coast won’t be left behind.

Oh, and that 276,000 pre-orders in the first three days? Of course he’d be delighted and he’s confident that, if that rate is sustained, they will have exceeded the 500,000 mark before “Part 2” of the 3’s unveiling.

If he’s right, with a $1,000 deposit for each he’ll make an easy half a billion bucks that he’ll most likely pour into the 3’s development to ensure it delivers on its promises.