Model 3

Make
Tesla
Segment
Sedan

Tesla is constantly in the headlines. Sometimes the news is good and sometimes it's really shocking, but most of the time we're just left scratching our heads. Despite the sometimes confusing nature of Tesla's actions, the EV manufacturing giant is now one of the most successful companies in the world with a net worth of over $1 trillion - possibly because it keeps raising the price of its cars. Tesla's latest attempt to confuse and befuddle its customers is a simple one; it has dropped the Standard Range name from its model descriptions. The name was recently dropped from the US website, while smaller nations such as New Zealand were to receive the update after 24 hours.

The Tesla Model 3 was previously available in three trims, namely Standard Range Plus, Long Range, and Performance. The updated website now simply shows Model 3 under the rear-wheel-drive options, along with Model 3 Long Range and Model 3 Performance variants, both of which have all-wheel drive and dual motors. The interesting thing here is that the range and performance figures for the base Model 3 have changed. The 2021 Standard Range Plus model's range was rated at 263 miles but has now increased to 267 miles. The top speed remains the same at 140 mph, but the 0-60 mph time is slower: it will now take 5.8 seconds for the cheapest Model 3 to get to 60 mph compared to 5.3 seconds previously. That's a significant time difference.

The Model X is also no longer available as a Long Range model, and is simply called the Model X. The Model Y is still offered in Long Range and Performance variants. However, we can now see that the Model Y Long Range with smaller 19-inch Gemini wheels has a 330-mile range. If you choose the larger 20-inch Induction wheels, the range drops to 318 miles.

Tesla fans have taken to the internet to voice their opinion of the name change, and while some think the scrapping of the name will cause more confusion, some believe that will make things simpler. Previously, Tesla dropped the Model Y Standard Range model from the lineup as Elon Musk simply didn't think it was good enough. Either way, we're mere pawns in Tesla's world, and you should definitely expect some more changes before 2021 is over and done with.