[NotSammyHagar]

They way they handle that (almost everyone does it this way now) is don't make very many of the low end model, maybe none at the start, then get the cost down and later make them. Suppress demand. GM didn't make enough bolts.

Tesla can almost make money selling a model 3 at $39k before any tax discounts, the RWD version with 272 miles. With the theoretical battery price of $100/kwh, each kwh is almost 4 miles of range, need 28+19/4 = need about 11 kwh of battery or $1,100 of cost addition. They don't want to increase the range on their lowest end car because people might buy it instead of the more expensive higher end prices.

[m463]

I think tesla made their stock model 3 wheels sort of rental-car ugly so people would drop a couple k on wheels. or pull off the wheel covers.