First Tesla Car For The Masses Rolling Off The Assembly Line
NEW YORK (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA/AP) - People who want to drive electric cars should get a charge out of this news.
Tesla says its first model for the masses should come rolling off the assembly line this week. The first of the cars will be completed by Friday - with the first deliveries set for late this month.
In a series of tweets yesterday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the new Model 3 has passed all government tests - so it's good to go.
And Tesla plans to hold a party to hand over the first 3 Model 3 keys to customers on July 28. The Model 3 has a base price of about $35,000. But, with a federal electric car tax credit, the price gets shaved down to about $27,500.
CBS News Automotive Reporter Jeff Gilbert says most people who order a Model 3 will have to be patient.
"Anybody who orders a Model 3 today probably won't get one for another year," said Gilbert.
Gilbert adds the appeal of the Model 3 is the range of more than 200 miles a charge.
"That 200 miles seems to be the sweet spot where you're not nervous about running out of electricity. You still run into issues where you can't take long trips, but with a vehicle like that, that kind of range seems to be not just enough to do all of your daily rounds but, have a little extra left over so you're not nervous about running out of juice," said Gilbert.
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(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)