Tesla Lowers the Bar to Raise the Market: Affordable Models Bring Electric Driving to the Masses
Elon Musk’s empire isn’t heading for Mars this time—it’s steering straight for the mass market. Tesla has unveiled the most affordable cars in its history, two stripped-back versions of the Model 3 and Model Y designed to make electric mobility genuinely attainable.
Tesla’s new Standard editions of the Model 3 and Model Y mark a decisive shift in strategy. Both cars keep the brand’s core values—performance, efficiency, and digital intelligence—but lose nearly everything that doesn’t directly contribute to the act of driving.
Compared to their predecessors, the new models are radically simplified. Gone are ventilated front seats, heated rears, ambient lighting, and the rear passenger display. Autopilot is no longer standard, and premium leather has been replaced with durable fabric. Even the side mirrors are now manually adjustable. The sound system shrinks from fifteen speakers to seven, while paint choices are limited to white, black, or gray—ironically, both white and black cost extra.
The Model Y sheds its signature LED light bar and panoramic roof, rolling instead on modest 18-inch wheels and standard dampers.
Underneath, both models share a 69 kWh battery pack good for about 517 kilometers of EPA-rated range—slightly less than before, but still plenty for daily driving. Acceleration from 0 to 96 km/h takes 6.8 seconds, keeping performance respectable.
Pricing is where the real story lies: the Model 3 Standard starts at $36,990 (around €34,300), while the Model Y begins at $39,990 (roughly €37,100). Deliveries are slated to begin in the U.S. this November.
It seems Tesla has finally found its golden mean—less luxury, more practicality, and a price tag that could bring electric driving within reach for a whole new generation.
