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The Tesla Model 3 is intended to be the world’s first mass-market electric vehicle – a simpler, more affordable way of getting around that is kinder to the planet as the world transitions towards running on sustainable energy.

When the BBC’s historically cynical Top Gear finally got their hands on the Tesla Model 3 this summer, before they switched on the ignition they audaciously declared it ‘the most important car of the 21st century’ – because its feared capabilities were already shaking up the car industry.

Me, well I’ve wanted to get behind the wheel of this new kid on the block ever since I reviewed its bigger and much more expensive brother the Model S two years ago.

I’m already sold on Tesla, I just couldn’t afford one. The Model 3 gives me, and millions more, that chance.

I’m pleased to say, the wait has been worth it.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

Other critics agree and are also now jumping on board or up and down with enthusiasm; since I drove this car out, the Tesla Model 3 won Car of the Year at the AutoExpress awards.

And sales are booming – but the average member of the public still has questions. Some of which I hope to answer here.

Manufacturers normally give journalists the highest spec models for review; invariably the fastest with all the bells and whistles, so they can’t fail to be impressed. Tesla however, thoughtfully, wanted me to see how the basic (the £38,500* Standard Range Plus) model performed – i.e. the entry level most Mirror readers would probably plump for if they could afford it.

I’m pleased they did. The basic model alone is, well… incredible.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

Just in case you’ve had your head in the sand for the past few years, I’ll run through the basics. Tesla cars are 100% electric – because there is no engine (the floor of the car is a flat, long, thin battery) , they are:

Incredibly spacious (there’s a boot in the front and back, giving you a whopping 542 litres) Incredibly light And, incredibly fast.

The basic Tesla Model 3 here goes from 0-60mph in a lightning 5.3secs, with a top speed of 140mph. That’s faster than anything in its class, including from Audi, BMW or Mercedes.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

I think it’s fair to say I have never been asked more questions from friends or colleagues about a car I have reviewed before, and once they get over the speed, the next thing they always ask is: ‘Yes, but how often do you have to charge it?’

The short answer is that on full charge the battery in this model will do 258 miles. Commuting to and from work I drive roughly 200 miles a week, so that would mean I would have to charge it slightly more than once a week.

To answer their next questions – it costs around £4-£8 to charge, takes around half an hour, and the batteries have 90% capacity after the first 160,000 miles.

That’s why this car is in a league of its own - as it is qualming fears over range anxiety - and is turning the motoring industry on its head as everyone strive to compete with its standards.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

You can pay roughly £600 to have a charging point installed at your home. But I know, as a Londoner with street parking, not everyone has the luxury of their own driveway. So many Tesla drivers are reliant on using charging points which are fast popping up all over the UK. Did you know there are already more electricity charging points than petrol pumps?

To give the Model 3 a proper ride out, we decided to take it for a spin around the Gower Peninsula in South Wales for the weekend. We had to charge it three times there and back – once on the M4 once we were out of London, once outside Swansea before we drove around Wales and the final time at the start of our journey home.

If you’ve ever had a chance to look inside a Tesla you will know that the accent is on minimalism – a byword that’s been taken to another level with the Model 3.

There’s a big 15in screen in the centre of the dashboard that looks like a giant iPad from where you control everything; unlike the Model S, there is absolutely no display directly in front of you. Steering into a dashboard takes some getting used to, but you do. With the illusion of extra glass in every direction including the roof, you get used to the feeling of increased space that Teslas allow you to wallow in.

There’s only one pressable button – and that’s for the hazard lights. Everything else is controlled by the digital screen – from speed limiters to the nifty air condition vents that run the entire length of the dashboard and will have some wondering why they hadn’t thought of inventing that first.

You key in your destination on the Satnav and the onboard computer tells you where you can charge up en route – including what your battery level will be at that point if you don’t want to stop. We made it from Canary Wharf to Membury Services on the M4 via North London with around 70 miles to go.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

Superchargers are pay per use with the Model 3 (Model S buyers get to use them for free) but far from pricey. Charging up was so quick, we’d hardly had enough time to eat our Burger King when the Tesla phone app texted me to say the car was almost fully charged and to return to it.

We continued on to our destination of Swansea where we took 15mins at another service station to top up our charge to give us over 200miles of driving potential for our spin around the stunning peninsula for the rest of the weekend. Then we charged up again before we left – which got us all the way back to London.

If that’s not a persuasive enough argument for you, consider the Long Range model for £47,000* which will do 329 miles on a full charge. By the way, that does 0-60mph in 3.2secs. Yes, that’s supercar speeds. There is also a lower suspension, flashier Performance model for £52,000* with a top speed of £162mph.

If I had the extra cash, I would probably just opt for the Long Range model just for peace of mind (it has All Wheel Drive with enhanced performance and traction) and the (incredible) ‘Full Sell Driving Capability’ which I raved about in my Model S review. It is not included as standard in the Model 3 but as an option for an extra £5,800. I still believe it to be safer than a human driving and it makes motorway driving less of a stress.

Others will be happy to make do with ‘Autopilot’ included as standard in the Model 3 which enables your car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically for other vehicles and pedestrians within its lane.

Some things I hadn’t anticipated in the Model 3 - but were excellent - included the handling (the car is low, much lower than many other cars) and particularly the way it grips the road.

I should also mention that a Tesla is pretty much the safest car you can buy on the market, according to surveys. Because there’s no engine, the front end can’t crumple in a crash, so you’re better protected. Every car comes with active safety features standard, including Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning and Side Collision Warning.

But above all Tesla have built a car that not only makes sense on many levels but is brilliant to drive.

There are negatives though Tesla needs to urgently address now they have a car many people would want to buy on the market. The UK price is still above what most would want to pay. Insurance is in the highest range. And they are ranking low for customer after-sales care in surveys.

But the Tesla bug is a difficult one to shake once you have been bitten. Two years on from when I drove the Model S, there’s also now a burgeoning and enthusiastic community of Tesla drivers, so don’t be surprised if you suddenly find yourself chatting to like-minded motorists you have never met before - and even exchanging tips - at charging points.

As well as a flash of lights and a wave from other Tesla owners, I even got a thumbs up from a Porsche driver who pulled alongside me and wound down his window to tell me how cool the new Tesla looked – and that he wanted one.

He would have to form a line behind me though. I want one.

* Pricing includes VAT, destination and documentation fee of £850 and the £3,500 UK Plug-In Car Grant