[aerovistae]

Uh, wait. They're taking the Model 3 Standard off the menu....so.....that means the $35k version just got stopped?

Sigh. It's a bit sad for me because I have been a bigger fanatic for this company than almost anyone, for maybe 9 years now, and my passion is fading.

I recognize how hard the thing they're doing is, and how they're doing everything they can...but the repeated dishonesty is just very off-putting to me. I don't believe the ends justify the means, and many things could have been done better. Over and over Elon's PR has been profoundly deceitful.

[dragontamer]

> Uh, wait. They're taking the Model 3 Standard off the menu....so.....that means the $35k version just got stopped?

You can't stop what never began to move in the first place. There has never been a single reported delivery of the $35k model. There have been a LOT of complaints about delayed deliveries however.

EDIT: Seems I'm getting downvoted. Lemme put up some sources then. https://electrek.co/2019/04/04/tesla-model-3-base-doesnt-exi...

[dawnerd]

If anyone actually bought the base model this is kind of an upgrade for them TBH. Plus now they have the option to software upgrade their car, which they wouldn't really get - especially with the manually adjusting seats.

[reitzensteinm]

This is just the 50 kWh Model S, rinse and repeat. Get the positive PR for launching the low cost version, attempt to sell as few as possible, then take it off the menu.

[gnicholas]

Don't forget that when the mythical $35k Model 3 was announced, Tesla purchasers could get the full federal tax credit. That would have put the price below $30k, perhaps even after destination fees.

But since they opted to only sell the higher-tier Model 3s first, the tax credits only ever went to buyers paying much more than $35k.

[mandeepj]

> This is just the 50 kWh Model S

Musk was upfront about this

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/845279423238590464?lang=...

[reitzensteinm]

I don't understand how your link is at all relevant to my comment.

[bob_theslob646]

You have to call directly or go to a dealer to get access the standard one.

> "Given the popularity of the Standard Plus relative to the Standard, we have made the decision to simplify our production operations to better optimize cost, minimize complexity and streamline operations. As a result, Model 3 Standard will now be a software-limited version of the Standard Plus, and we are taking it off the online ordering menu, which just means that to get it, customers will need to call us or visit any one of the several hundred Tesla stores. "

[jonfw]

They will still sell you a model 3 standard if you want it, but it's just a software limited version of the standard plus, where you have to pay to access the full capabilities of the car.

[bagels]

It's not on the website anymore. Do you have a source?

[jedberg]

The linked page says "As a result, Model 3 Standard will now be a software-limited version of the Standard Plus, and we are taking it off the online ordering menu, which just means that to get it, customers will need to call us or visit any one of the several hundred Tesla stores."

[mirkules]

I will never understand the “software-limited” versions of anything. Actually, that’s too soft. I hate software-limited things.

The hardware is already built and delivered, and the company literally loses nothing by allowing their customers to use it.

It reminds me of Verizon back in the early days of bluetooth when they wanted to charge customers to unlock it.

I will always avoid doing business with these kinds of companies.

[londons_explore]

"This is only available when ordering by phone" sounds like something my dinosaur bank would do, not something an up and coming tech company should be doing.

[TheSpiceIsLife]

So they can pressure you in to spending more.

[jonfw]

"we can't actually afford to make a 35000 car, but Elon promised it, so we are going to attempt to prove him right by just software-limiting a more expensive car and than hoping nobody buys it so we don't lose money"

How I imagine some meeting at Tesla went when they decided this was a legitimate solution.

[londons_explore]

If I were in the market for this, I'd be buying the 35k model with the expectation that the modding community will unlock those extra features in short order. In fact I'd bet that all the features on the car are a set of Boolean flags on every vehicle and as soon as you have a shell on the thing, changing the flags to enable any feature will be simple. Add a simple Cron to keep the flags set as you like even after an update, and another Cron to start a background root SSH session for continued access after updates.

Eg. https://www.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/5o7rhl/how_wou...

[sunstone]

The pedantic view is that Tesla did offer the $35k M3 for awhile and while they haven't delivered any yet they will. (It looks like the ones they will deliver will have the upgraded interior and a software locked battery).

Further more, if you know that magic words, you can still order one though it won't show upon their web site. So according to the letter of the law they will have offered, sold and delivered some M3's for $35k. They never undertook to offer this product/price combo indefinitely.

Though, as a prospective buyer it did seem pretty obvious that the M3 extended range version was a better deal. And apparently so did buyers in the ratio of 6:1.

I wouldn't be surprised if this convulsion in strategy is the result of Congress recently saying they would try to reinstate the subsidy for GM and Tesla electric vehicles. This might sound good, and would be good in the medium term, but think of how many buyers will now be putting their wallets away waiting for this subsidy that might never come. If Tesla saw orders dropping off a cliff on that news they would have to do something drastic.

[cjhopman]

> so did buyers in the ratio of 6:1

Right, because the choice was between a delivery of the more expensive one within a matter of weeks or paying a large deposit for the cheaper one with an "expected" delivery in months (which all evidence pointed to being many months rather than several months).

[AndrewBissell]

It actually never existed, except as a configuration fee grab. There have been no confirmed sightings of a base $35K Model 3 with fabric interior and manual seat adjusters.

[jedberg]

That's because they don't start shipping until this weekend.

[dragontamer]

That's what they said 3 weekends ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/b4dl1p/deliver...

[Hypx]

From what I gather, no production of the $35K version was ever ordered. Therefore there could not have been anything to ship.

[smt88]

The deceit is disappointing for most companies people are excited about.

For a car maker, especially one with a reckless autonomous driving strategy, deceit can be homicidal.