Tesla's Musk hands over first Model 3 electric cars to early buyers

Tesla boss Elon Musk has handed over the first of what he hopes will be a mass-market electric car to employee buyers,setting the stage for the biggest test yet of the company’s plans to revolutionise the auto industry. .

Outside Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California on Friday night, Musk showed off the $35,000 Model 3 which has a range of 220 miles (350 km) on a charge that marks a departure from the company’s earlier luxury electric cars.

The Model 3 is part of Musk’s broader plan to build a clean energy and transportation company that offers electric semi trucks, rooftop solar energy systems and large-scale battery storage systems.

The first 30 Tesla Model 3 cars are officially delivered to their owners.

Thirty-six hours before Elon Musk hands the keys to the first 30 purchasers of the new Tesla Model 3 electric car, we are waiting at a gravel parking lot at the corner of Mullholland Highway and Old Topanga Road in Malibu. 

“What time is it?” somebody asks. “8 a.m.” replies videographer Cory Lutz as he and Travis Labella ready an arsenal of GoPros. Everybody—photographers Brian Vance and William Walker, me, the video guys—are taking turns shooting glances up Old Topanga. We’re watching for a red car.

8:05: “There he is,” I hear somebody say. He is Franz von Holtzhausen, chief designer for Tesla. And the red car is not only his, but it’s also one of the most awaited and speculated-about automobiles in years—the Tesla Model 3, a car I’ve overheard relatives talking about who don’t know how many cylinders their Camry’s engine has. 

The scene felt a little like Hollywood paparazzi staking out Justin Bieber again, but this time it wasn’t a hijacking. In a somewhat intimidating coup, Franz is going to let me tear up and down nearby Stunt Road in it (and what better name for a test route, eh?).

Source: https://www.tesla.com/model3