Overview

The Tesla Model 3 is the beginning of the realization of a mass-market electric vehicle. With recent discounts, tax credits, and estimated cost savings, the Model 3 costs about $34,850. In its current state, the Model 3 is not yet a car for the masses but rather a stylish, incredibly safe, absurdly fast, electric alternative to other luxury sedans. For buyers looking to abandon their gas-powered vehicles, the Model 3 may be the best vehicle on the market.

With access to Tesla’s supercharger network, the promise of Tesla’s future technological advancements delivered over-the-air, and the allure of bringing on the green future, the Tesla Model 3 certainly edges out other electric vehicles as the prime choice. But how does it stack up against its internal-combustion engine (ICE) counterparts.

Well, if you care about performance, safety, or fuel economy in your ICE cars, then maybe it’s time to look at the numbers and abandon your previous understanding of electric vehicles. Far from the golf carts of the past, the Tesla Model 3 is the safest rated car of all time by the NHTSA. With Ludicrous Mode, the Tesla Model 3 can accelerate from 0-60mph in less than 3.5 seconds, and a top-speed of 155mph. Additionally, in effective fuel economy, the Model 3 nearly quadruples the fuel economy of its closest competitors at an effective fuel economy of 126 mpg-e.

If your lifestyle requires you to frequently take trips longer than 310 miles, it might be wise to wait for the next wave of innovation in battery energy density, but if, like most people, you use your car largely for daily commutes of under 16 miles both ways, the Model 3 might pair even better with your lifestyle than an ICE vehicle. Additionally for those long-range trips, the extensive supercharger network means you can go anywhere an ICE can take you and that you can charge 80% of your battery, almost 250 miles, in only 40 minutes.