Tesla Model 3 - Range, charging and running costs

The Tesla Model 3 has always boasted hugely impressive range figures, especially for the price, but the facelifted version goes a step beyond, officially offering close to 400 miles of range for less than £50,000. Props to the team at Tesla for pulling that off. 

The Tesla Model 3 has always boasted hugely impressive range figures, especially for the price, but the facelifted version goes a step beyond, officially offering close to 400 miles of range for less than £50,000. Props to the team at Tesla for pulling that off. 

Tesla hasn’t told us about any upgrades to the Model 3’s battery or drivetrain, but the new, slipperier front end has reduced the drag coefficient to 0.219 – the lowest of any Tesla to date. As a result, the base Model 3’s range has increased from 305 to 318 miles, while the aptly named Model 3 Long Range can now cover up to 390 miles on a single charge – up from 374 miles previously. The Performance version has the least range at 328 miles – a drop of 12 miles compared with the previous version. That’s still good compared with the likes of the M50 version of BMW i4, which only gets 312 miles on a charge.

You’ll only get the maximum electric range if you stick with the smaller 18-inch wheels with their aerodynamic covers. The larger 19-inch rims look more stylish but knock roughly 30 miles off the Model 3’s claimed range. It’s worth bearing this in mind when you’re playing with the online configurator.

Just as important as the official range is how efficient an EV is on the road, and we’re pleased to say the Model 3 has proven itself to be extremely efficient in our evaluations. When we tested a pre-facelift Model 3 Long Range against the Polestar 2 and BMW i4, the Tesla returned 4.4 miles per kilowatt-hour. That works out to a real-world range of around 330 miles, which was about 10 per cent off the claimed figure. A post-facelift Long Range model also impressed us in cold weather, managing 3.8 miles per kilowatt-hour (or 285 miles) – the best figure managed during our company car group test. 

Of course, the Model 3 isn’t the only electric car to boast a range of around 400 miles – others include the facelifted Polestar 2, both of which cost similar money to the Model 3.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

A big advantage the Model 3 has over rivals is access to Tesla Superchargers in the UK. Yes, the rapid-charging network has slowly been opening up to all electric car owners, but most of the locations are still exclusive to Teslas, at least for the moment. 

You don’t have to use Tesla’s rapid chargers though, as the Model 3 features Type 2 and CCS charging ports so you can use other public charging points, too. The charging port is located just next to the left-hand rear light and opens with the push of a button in the car or via the Tesla smartphone app. Alternatively, you can tell the car to “open butthole” – though, that’s probably not the best thing to say if your in-laws are in the car with you!

The base Model 3 has a maximum charging speed of 170kW, while the Model 3 Long Range can reach 250kW. You can replenish the battery in both versions from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in under half an hour, or add up to 175 miles of range in just 15 minutes if you use the right rapid charger. When it comes to charging at home or overnight, it’ll take a regular 7.4kW home wallbox just over nine hours to fully recharge the base Model 3, or you’re looking at about 12 hours if you get a Long Range model. 

Tax

​Electric cars continue to offer lower running costs than their internal combustion counterparts, and not just in terms of fuel. Like all EVs, the Model 3 is exempt from road tax (VED) and the London Congestion Charge until 24 Dec 2025, while company-car users also currently benefit from a 2 per cent Benefit-in-Kind rate.

Insurance groups

Insurance group ratings for the facelifted Model 3 are an improvement over the previous generation. The standard rear-wheel drive model now starts in group 36, and the Long Range four-wheel drive is in group 41. That puts the Model 3 on par with the Hyundai Ioniq 6, and between the Volkswagen ID.7 in group 38. The bonkers performance also contributes to its rather group 48 rating, but that’s typical for a car with a 3.0 second 0-62mph.

Unfortunately, industry testers Thatcham Research rated both ‘D’ for 'doesn't meet requirements', while most of its rivals, bar the BYD Seal, get an ‘E’ rating for exceeding requirements. This means Tesla needs to do more in terms of the security devices it fits on its cars in order to bring the Model 3 up to the standards of its rivals.

Depreciation

Our latest expert data projects that the Tesla Model 3 line-up will retain between 42 and 53 per cent of its original value after a typical three-year/36,000-mile ownership period. The entry-level rear-wheel drive version is expected to retain the most, while the most expensive Performance is expected to lose the most.

In comparison, the Polestar 2 is expected to retain 38 to 43 per cent, and the BMW i4 is predicted to maintain 43 to 47 per cent over the same period.

To get an accurate valuation for a specific model, check out our valuation tool...