A Model 3

Our daughter and son-in-law are committed to lowering their carbon footprint. For example, they recycle just about everything that can be recycled, had a home energy audit completed, replaced windows with more energy efficient ones, added insulation to the attic and wrapped the hot water pipes, and are in the process of installing solar roof panels (a future blog entry). Yesterday, I drove our son-in-law to Owings Mills, MD (NW of Baltimore) to pick up a Tesla Model 3 they ordered last year.

The Model 3 is an electric sedan designed for a wider audience of buyers than earlier models and the current high end Models S and X. It is built by Tesla Motor Co, one of the brain children of Elon Musk. Consumer Reports indicates the Model 3 with a 60-kWh battery pack matched with an 260 hp electric motor has a range of 215 miles. This one was ordered with a larger battery back that pushes the range to over 300 miles. Though it definitely has a unique profile, from the outside the Model 3 fits in with other sedans on the road – no solar panels, wings, or grill with a likeness of Musk. The build and finish are definitely quality and the interior spacious and up-scale. The first thing you notice on the interior is that the dash is barren except for a steering wheel and a large touchscreen above the center console from which every function is monitored and/or controlled: basic controls (e.g., speedometer, odometer, cruise control, whippers, defrosters, front and rear trunk releases, charging port door); battery/charging status; navigation; music/audio; phone blue tooth interface; interior air flow/temperature; interior lighting levels; seat temperatures;…as well as, internet connection; driver profiles for seat, steering wheel and mirror positions; driving modes; braking modes; auto pilot features;…and the owner’s manual with videos. If you are a heavily into technology like Starman of SpaceX fame - another Musk brain child - (photo from internet) you will love taking deep dives into the touchscreen controls. (An overview of the touchscreen controls system is available on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeuKkQAL3us .) Though all electric, the Model 3 apparently is somewhat of a muscle car, capable of 0-60 in 5.1 seconds.

Later this year a Model 3 can be ordered with two electric motors, which will give it all wheel drive, and other innovations. All that is good. Today Tesla is due to release a quarterly financial report. It will show whether the company is on a path to resolving supply chain and production issues, and so is on a path to profitability. The wait time for a Model 3 continues to be 18 months.