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Tesla's new Model 3 Long Range can plausibly top 400 miles on a charge - and that's not the only thing it can boast about | TeslaThis article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
Tesla claims its new Model 3 can top 400 miles on a charge – but living with one tells a more interesting story
The latest line-up of Tesla's Model 3 range is reasonably simple. If you're on a budget, there's a "Standard" version with a 57.5kWh battery and rear-wheel drive, a "Performance" model at the other end of the scale with a 75kWh battery, and two "Long Range" variants taking up the middle ground.
These are the interesting ones for many people, because they take the Model 3's WLTP range past 400 miles. The £44,990 RWD version offers 466 WLTP miles, while the £49,990 version promises 410 miles.
You probably don't need me to tell you that these aren't figures you're likely to achieve in the real world, but the 400 miles is genuinely within reach. And that's an important milestone for any EV, not just Tesla. There aren't many cars making these claims.
And we have to take a moment to consider just how much better the current Model 3 is than its predecessor, with sharper looks, better aerodynamics, better batteries, better build quality, better performance and even keener pricing.
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The interior remains brutally minimalist, and retains plenty of quirks - but it gets better with every WiFi update | TeslaIt sounds like the perfect EV then, right? Well, there are some important things to consider with Tesla ownership. Firstly, Tesla's brutally minimalist approach to interior furnishing takes a while to get used to.
There's only one column-mounted stalk, and it's for the indicators. And they're a bit clumsy.
The automatic windscreen wipers, which should be on another stalk, but they're on the steering wheel, are also a bit clumsy. Then there are the automatic headlights, which are also controlled from the steering wheel, but they're also a bit clumsy.
And if you've become as addicted as I have to Android Auto, or Apple CarPlay, you're not allowed it in a Tesla. You have to make do with the in-built software on the vast central screen.
You're also not allowed a driver-information screen, because it's all on that central display, even your speed. You don't even get a gear nob. That's on the screen, too.
If this all sounds a bit too fiddly and annoying, though, give it time. Tesla has worked wonders at making this dizzying array of digital functions easy to use and easy to access. You'll soon stop longing for Android Auto, you'll soon wonder why you ever needed a driver information screen in front of you, and you might even warm to the touch-screen gear selector eventually. I'm starting to.
Rear seat space is decent, and there's a sizeable boot, along with a compact "frunk" up front | TeslaFoibles with the indicators, wipers, and lights, are likely to be improved with over-the-air updates, and the minimalism of the dashboard does make for some clever storage options. I particularly like the simple dual smartphone stands, which wirelessly charge your handset.
But we need to get back to range. It is, after all, the most important attribute to these new launches, and I've been driving the AWD version of the new Long Range pair for a week, to see if I can get close to that magic 400 miles in one charge.
To put it bluntly, I didn't. It's winter in the UK, I can't cope without a bit of heating, I live in the Peak District so everything is up a hill, and most of Tesla's Superchargers are accessed by joining and then leaving a motorway. And motorway runs aren't ideal for chasing huge mi/kWh ratings.
New Premium features include a clever screen in the rear - which controls the climate and gives youngsters access to a suite of games | TeslaBut I did take the Model 3 Long Range AWD out for a road trip one day to chew through some rural B-roads, up through the Cheshire countryside and across to Yorkshire. I comfortably managed to make 4 mi/kWh on the rural stretches, and it didn't dip too low on the M1 on the way back, either.
It charged incredibly quickly when I topped it back up, and it was a wonderfully comfortable and practical car to do the lengthy jaunt in.
While I was waiting for it to charge up at a retail park in Mansfield, I crunched some numbers. On that cold, wet day in late December, I reckon I'd have got 350 miles out of a full charge. Maybe even 370 at a push if I'd driven more sensibly. I wasn't hypermiling, I had the heating on low the whole time, and the wipers were working hard. As was the excellent stereo.
That, in my book, is very impressive. Of course, it's a long way short of the 410 miles Tesla tells you it's theoretically capable of, but we're definitely getting there.
The cabin still has lots of cool touches - like the dual smartphone charging stand | TeslaIs the AWD version worth it? The extra traction might be something you value. I've driven a RWD Tesla in light snow, and it copes surprisingly well, but obviously the AWD is going to be far better. And it's much more secure if you have a habit of hoofing it out of T-junctions.
The thing is, though, there is a £5,000 premium to pay for the AWD, and an (on paper) 56-mile deficit. Some of that price difference is made up for in a slightly better spec, but only slightly.
I've also driven the new Model 3 Performance, which is even more expensive and has over 500bhp, so it's an absolute hoot, but the Long Range feels like the sweet spot in the Model 3 family. And whether you go for the RWD or AWD is up to you.
But to overlook a Model 3 for any reason would be silly. Yes, they're quirky, and, yes, they're a saloon in a world of SUVs, but they're incredibly popular for a reason. Once you've lived with one, and you've learned to adapt to its idiosyncrasies, the benefits of Tesla ownership - from the incredibly good app, to the game-changing Supercharger network - start to shine through.
And it makes Model 3 ownership a genuinely appealing prospect.
To have a stab at covering 400 miles in one charge is just the icing on the cake.
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