Tesla is unaware of the range of the Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive!

Constructors are often criticized for inflating the ranges of their models. Well, Tesla does the opposite!

On the official Tesla France website, the presentation of the new Model 3 Propulsion shows a range of 513 km. This figure is prominently displayed on the main page, intended to represent the performance and efficiency of the base model. The problem is, this range does not correspond to the base model, but to a version equipped… with optional wheels!

In reality, the announced 513 km is for the Model 3 Propulsion fitted with the 19-inch Nova wheels, priced at 1,190 euros. For the standard version, delivered as standard with 18-inch Photon wheels, the range actually increases to 554 km according to the WLTP standard. That’s 41 km better!

This is a rare case, a manufacturer that chooses to communicate the reduced range of its vehicle instead of highlighting the best possible performance, that of the base model. Generally, the technical specifications feature the most flattering configuration, even if it means stating that certain options can affect range. Here, it’s the opposite; Tesla deprives its sedan of 8% range on its own presentation page!

But why Tesla?

We honestly have no explanation for this. Is it a simple oversight, a bug in the configuration management, or an incomprehensible marketing decision? Hard to say. But for a manufacturer as scrutinized as Tesla, and on such a sensitive issue as the real range of electric vehicles, the error is surprising.

It is likely just a simple misstep by the French branch of the Californian manufacturer, but it raises questions about the accuracy of the information provided to the public. While waiting for a possible correction, it is better to consult the configurator in detail. It remains the only way to obtain the exact data according to the chosen equipment.

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