Tesla's Model 3 Long Range may be set to make a comeback
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Tesla halted production of the immensely popular Model 3 Long Range last summer due to an overwhelming backlog of orders extending well into 2023. This move left customers with only the base, rear-wheel drive version and much more expensive performance version of the Model 3 available for purchase.
However, recent developments suggest that Tesla might soon begin accepting orders for the Model 3 Long Range once again. One of our readers, Jake Bercic, pointed out that the price of the Long Range Model 3 has appeared on a Canadian Tesla support page. The price appears among other Tesla models, which all reflect current pricing.
Update: It looks like Tesla has kept the Model 3 Long Range model on this support page, and they updated the pricing in January 2023.
The prices displayed on the Canadian support page for the Long Range Model 3 are:
Rear wheel drive: $54,990 CAD (this version in the US: $42,990)
Dual motor Long Range: $67,990 CAD (equal to approximately $49,700 USD)
Performance: $72,990 CAD (this version in the US: $53,990)
Project Highland and New Price
The possible return of the Model 3 Long Range comes amidst speculation of Tesla's Project Highland - the refreshed Model 3. We recently uncovered more details about Project Highland. The possible reintroduction of the Model 3 Long Range, coupled with Project Highland, could signal a new chapter in Tesla's EV dominance. By bringing back a highly sought-after model and potentially introducing a new and improved version, Tesla continues to demonstrate its commitment to innovation and meeting the increasing demand for electric vehicles.
The possible reintroduction of the Model 3 Long Range, coupled with Project Highland, could signal a new chapter in Tesla's EV dominance. By bringing back a highly sought-after model and potentially introducing a new and improved version, Tesla continues to demonstrate its commitment to innovation and meeting the increasing demand for electric vehicles.
Tax Credits
This development is particularly noteworthy, as the Model 3 Long Range's previous price of $57,990 USD, made it ineligible for the new US tax credit for electric cars. With the new regulation, a price cap of $55,000 applies to passenger car models, and $80,000 for SUVs and pickups. That means all Model 3's are eligible for the $7,500 tax credit.
The halt in Model 3 Long Range production came after Tesla CEO Elon Musk warned about potential order freezes due to a sharp increase in demand for electric cars in several regions of the United States. Musk had stated that once Tesla increased production, the model variant would return to the market. Now, it seems that the time for its return might be near.
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In a move that has both surprised and frustrated Tesla and non-Tesla owners, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) is actively removing Tesla Superchargers from its service plazas, replacing them under an exclusive agreement with Applegreen Electric—the company that operates the plazas.
This transition, which was officially announced by the Tesla Charging account on X, will see all 64 of Tesla’s V3 Supercharger stalls removed from the Turnpike. This has raised some eyebrows, especially as the Applegreen sites, which will only feature CCS1 plugs, won’t be online until later this year.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority ("NJTA") has chosen a sole third-party charging provider to serve the New Jersey Turnpike and is not allowing us to co-locate. As a result, NJTA requested 64 existing Supercharger stalls on the New Jersey Turnpike to not be renewed and be… pic.twitter.com/sosNIwMfYu
Tesla’s presence on the Turnpike dates back to 2014 when the NJTA granted Tesla a pilot license for just eight Supercharger stalls. That then rapidly expanded, and by the end of 2023, Tesla had 64 V3 Supercharger stalls active across the Turnpike, boasting their usual impressive 99.9% uptime, with a 30% lower cost than competitors nearby.
With the increasing adoption of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) by other automakers, Tesla's network is becoming the de facto fast-charging standard for a growing number of non-Tesla EVs, which makes this decision even harder to justify. Not only will Tesla vehicles be unable to charge at these locations, but many new EVs with NACS ports will also be left out.
Tesla’s Proposal
The landscape for EV charging on the Turnpike shifted in March 2023, when the NJTA amended its agreements with Applegreen to make it an exclusive offering. Despite Tesla offering what it cites as above-market terms, which included upgrading all Superchargers on the Turnpike to include Magic Docks (NACS + CCS1 chargers) for universal EV compatibility and card readers for better billing for non-Tesla owners. Tesla also offered to co-host, allowing Applegreen chargers and Tesla Superchargers to be located side by side. However, NJTA still declined to let Tesla keep any of its existing Superchargers online.
This is clearly a move for Applegreen to capitalize on its property and generate revenue by installing its own branded chargers. However, with Applegreen’s chargers only having CCS1 cables, calling them “universally” compatible while making Tesla’s seem exclusive to Tesla vehicles is laughable. This is clearly a step in the wrong direction that will hurt all EV owners. If anything, NJTA should be requiring Applegreen to maintain Tesla’s Superchargers on the premises, while also allowing Applegreen to install their own chargers.
NJTA instead announced that Tesla must decommission its Superchargers soon, which will leave EV drivers without viable options while traveling on the 117-mile-long NJ Turnpike. That’s millions of dollars of Tesla charging infrastructure that’s already being used - being removed without a replacement in place for potentially months.
The decision has been met with some widespread criticism over the last few days. The reduced options, reduced convenience, increased costs, and reliability concerns are chief among the concerns of Tesla and other EV drivers. However, the lack of transparency behind the decision, as well as the exclusivity to Applegreen, has led many to accuse the NJTA of corruption and backdoor deals, including Elon.
Anticipating the worst, however, Tesla’s Supercharging team has been working to ensure charging continuity. Between 2022 and today, Tesla has proactively built 116 replacement Supercharger stalls at eight new locations just off the Turnpike, anticipating this would happen. While this will make it less convenient for EVs reliant on NACS, it won’t leave them stranded without a place to charge. Tesla’s trip planner has already been adjusted to route drivers to these new sites as well.
While Tesla is clearly invested in expanding access to electric vehicle charging - whether for its own direct customers or for other EVs, it seems that some organizations believe the easiest way to meet “green goals” is to find the solution that’s best for their pocketbook.
We’re hoping that these types of exclusivity deals don’t become common as they harm all current EV owners and reduce electric vehicle adoption.
With Tesla’s Robotaxi network poised for its initial launch as soon as June 12th, Elon and Tesla’s lobbying team are stepping up to speak to administrators about autonomy regulation. According to a report from Bloomberg(paywall), the team is working on a behind-the-scenes push in Washington to establish a federal framework for autonomous vehicles.
This push involves direct lobbying of members of the US Congress to build a clear legislative path for autonomy, and the timing is no coincidence. Tesla needs clear regulations to operate under, rather than the fractured state-by-state or city-by-city regulations that exist sporadically throughout the US.
Pushing for a National Standard
The report, citing insiders familiar with the matter, details that Elon has been personally involved in calls with legislators and has been weighing in on revisions to the bill introduced on May 15th, which aimed to establish a basic regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles. Tesla’s goal is to move this bill forward before Congress’s July 4th recess.
When the US Transportation Secretary visited Tesla earlier in May, Elon had some wise words to say on this topic, touching on the core issue: for a service to operate nationwide, navigating a patchwork of regulations is a legal and operational nightmare.
It’d be wonderful for the United States to have a national set of rules for autonomous driving as opposed to 50 independent sets of rules on a state-by-state basis. - Elon Musk
Federal Rules
While the initial Robotaxi pilot launch in Austin is more than feasible under Texas’s relatively permissive regulations, the long-term vision is severely hamstrung by federal rules. Current regulations only permit special exemptions for a test fleet of up to 2,500 vehicles that lack traditional controls, such as a steering wheel and pedals.
While this isn’t a direct roadblock for Tesla’s initial deployment of Model Ys in the Robotaxi network, this vehicle cap is a roadblock for the mass production and deployment of Tesla’s purpose-built Cybercab. The Cybercab, with its easy-to-clean interior, relatively low cost, and lower-maintenance design, is ideal to scale the service with a vehicle designed from the ground up to be autonomous, where it’ll be cheaper to operate and maintain. Remember that the Cybercab is expected to be capable of 5.5 miles per kWh, whereas the Model Y is capable of about 4. Tesla needs a federal law that allows for the widespread sale and operation of the Cybercab, as it’ll likely be crucial to make the network profitable.
The legislative push also comes as Tesla is coming under increasing scrutiny from regulators. The NHTSA is already probing Tesla’s Robotaxi plans and seeking answers about FSD’s performance in adverse weather conditions. Establishing a clear, Congressionally approved federal framework will not only create a more predictable and stable regulatory environment for Tesla to operate in, but it’ll actually make these vehicles safer by having one set of rules.
Difficult Road
This isn’t the first crack at creating national autonomous vehicle laws from Congress. Various bills have been attempted over the years, with one even passing the House in 2017 before getting stalled and dropped in the Senate. The primary obstacle has often been debates over legal liability and pressures from legal groups who have raised concerns about handling incidents with autonomous vehicles.
The new bill represents the latest effort to clear the maze of red tape, and Tesla’s direct involvement, along with the upcoming pilot launch of the Robotaxi network, provides some momentum to push this forward.
Tesla is on the verge of launching Robotaxi, which has massive implications for how we approach urban mobility as a society. However, just as in many other cases, the technology is advancing far faster than the glacial pace of bureaucracy, which means that lobbying is crucial to expedite the process of getting regulations in place as soon as possible.
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