The Chevrolet Bolt is being painted in the press as a Tesla competitor. It's not and Elon Musk agrees. And while GM says its 200-mile EV will be priced at $30,000, there's a big asterisk on that sticker – it includes incentives – incentives that Musk isn't including in the price of the Model 3.


Musk has said in the past that the Model 3 would cost $35,000, but tonight he clarified that figure doesn't include any state or federal tax incentives.


Just the Feds will give you $7,500 for going electric, which puts the real sticker price of the Bolt at $37,500. And if Tesla used the same math GM is promoting, that would mean the Model 3 would come in at $27,500 after current incentives.

Obviously, Tesla has a long way to get there. It still needs to deliver the already delayed (twice) Model X before getting really serious about the Model 3, and Musk shed some light on what he's trying to accomplish.

"[The Model 3] will be way different from any other car on the road," says Musk. But, "in a way that's really useful and just doesn't feel like a weird-mobile."


Yes, "weird-mobile."

Musk reiterated other facts about the Model 3, including the that it will be around 20 percent smaller than the Model S – which he admits is a big car – and that some things that are standard on its big brother will be optional on the 3 – which is sure to help that $35,000 price.


The Model 3 discussion came after Musk's on-stage interview at the Automotive News World Congress. And since Musk loves to let loose, here are the highlights of what he said to the rabid band of reporters: