Tesla Motors debuted the $35,000, 215-mile Model 3 on March 31, but the day before, brand CEO Elon Musk ramped down expectations a bit by saying the car would be unveiled in two parts. The second half of the reveal would be the “super next level,” the executive said, but because it would come at a future date, we weren’t going to get the full lowdown on the everyman EV until later.
In celebration of the Model 3’s unprecedented popularity — Tesla received 276,000 preorders by the end of April 2 — Musk held an impromptu Twitter AMA on April 3, during which he divulged a few more details about the entry-level electric. We already knew the base Model 3 would have a range of at least 215 miles and a 0 to 60 time of less than 6.0 seconds, but we weren’t sure what powertrain options would be available for more coin. Now we know.
“[The] Model 3 will be RWD, with dual-motor AWD optional,” the CEO explained. “Even RWD will have great traction on ice due to fast torque response of Tesla drivetrain.”
Exact performance specs are still under wraps, but considering how much the Model S’ 0 to 60 mph time improves with the addition of a second motor, the range-topping Model 3’s acceleration could be very “Ludicrous” indeed. On the issue of luxury trimmings and high tech features, Musk kept it feverishly brief.
“And, of course, it will have more cowbells,” he said.
The Model 3 may be the king of the Internet for now, but considering it won’t be delivered to customers until the end of 2017 at the earliest, the Model S and Model X will serve as your main sources of on-road EV hi-jinks for the time being. The latest example? A Ludicrous-equipped Model S P90D racing a Boeing 737 in Australia. Check out the video here.
Volkswagen’s newest EVs in China are making its American and European models look unusually conservative.
With Xpeng’s help, VW has introduced 800-volt charging and advanced urban driving assistance. The new VEGA technology package brings its locally developed vehicle platforms and CEA electronic architecture under one umbrella. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen intends to update VEGA every three months. Western buyers can find pieces of that package, but not the whole thing in a Volkswagen.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?