Tesla Model 3 Facelift Fixes the Original’s Biggest Flaw

The EPA-estimated range figure for a vehicle is just that – an estimate. You’re never going to get exactly those numbers, but you should come close in the right driving conditions. Tesla has a bit of a history with having its vehicles not meet their EPA ranges in real world testing, and it’s been called out more than once. This time around, the news is better.

The facelifted Tesla Model 3 Performance didn’t just meet its EPA range estimates in recent Edmunds testing, it exceeded those figures. The stated EPA-esitmated range for this vehicle is 303 miles per charge on Tesla’s website. Testing had this electric vehicle traveling 306 miles in the real world. That works out to 29 kWh per 100 miles, which is very good.

It’s Not Just The Model 3 Performance That Beat Estimates

The difference in range between stated and actual is just 3 miles, which isn’t a huge amount and isn’t going to make your cross-country trip significantly faster, but it’s still a big deal. Compare it to how the 2018 version of the Model 3 Performance did, and you can see there’s been quite a leap. At the time, Edmunds testing came up with just 256 miles of range despite an EPA-estimated range of 310 miles per charge.

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It isn’t just the Model 3 Performance that did well this time around. The Cybertruck Foundation Series AWD with all-terrain tires also beat its estimates. In real-world driving, it came in with 334 miles of range despite the EPA estimating its range at just 318 miles. Taking into account that the Cybertruck is quite huge and that this test included all-terrain tires, it wouldn’t have been surprising if it fell short, but it beat estimates. In even better news, Tesla is now contacting those who were waitlisted for the Cybertruck. That means you can finally order a new one, but the used market for the Cybertruck is another more affordable option.

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Mutliple Tests With The Same Results

There’s always the chance that a one-off test will have very good, or very bad, results, but this isn’t an anomaly. Out of Spec Studios performed an extreme range test comparing the previous generation with the current generation. The newer version made it 370 miles at a speed of 70 mph, blazing right past its EPA estimate of 341 miles. That’s all good news for Tesla.