Tesla Model 3
The first customer Model 3s were Long Range rear-wheel-drive electric sedans. EPA listed 310 miles of range, giving Tesla a smaller, less expensive car that could still cover long distances on the agency's standardized test.
2017 Tesla Model 3 · Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0
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More than a set of wheels.
Tesla began Model 3 production and initial customer deliveries in July 2017. The early ramp was slow—Tesla reported only 220 Model 3 deliveries in the third quarter—but the car's mission was large: turn the company's battery and software ideas into a mass-market midsize sedan. This exact profile is the single-motor Long Range launch car, not the later Dual Motor AWD or Standard Range versions.
Look a little closer.
Most controls moved onto one landscape touchscreen, so even the speed display sat near the center of the dashboard instead of behind the steering wheel.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
What the 310-mile number means
EPA's ENERGY STAR record lists 310 miles combined, 322 miles city and 295 miles highway for the 2017 Model 3 Long Range RWD. The same record reports 126 MPGe combined and 27 kWh per 100 miles. These are standardized laboratory values for comparing cars; weather, speed, elevation, tires and cabin heating can change real trips.
Source: U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR — 2017 Tesla Model 3 Long Range ↗A launch that began slowly
Tesla's filings say production and initial customer deliveries began in July 2017. Its third-quarter report recorded 220 Model 3 deliveries and explained that manufacturing bottlenecks held back the ramp. That history matters: a launch date does not mean thousands of cars were immediately available at dealers.
Source: Tesla Investor Relations — Q3 2017 production and deliveries ↗Single motor means the rear wheels do the work
Tesla's 2017–2023 manual family identifies the rear unit as a liquid-cooled AC permanent-magnet synchronous motor with variable-frequency drive and a single fixed gear. It also documents regenerative braking and electronic stability systems. Motor hardware changed during the long 2017–2023 span, so Joyride does not assign a later manual's specific kW rating to this earliest U.S. car.
Source: Tesla — 2017–2023 Model 3 owner's manual, subsystems ↗Where these facts come from
- U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR — 2017 Tesla Model 3 Long Range
- Tesla Investor Relations — Q3 2017 production and deliveries
- Tesla 2017 Form 10-K
- Tesla — 2017–2023 Model 3 owner's manual, subsystems
- Tesla — 2017–2023 Model 3 owner's manual, dimensions
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.