Look Out, Germany — The Tesla Model 3 Is Coming (Video)

Published on January 5th, 2019 |
by Matt Pressman

January 5th, 2019 by Matt Pressman

Originally published on EVANNEX.

It’s hard to argue that Germany isn’t the heartbeat of automotive excellence. That said, an invader is coming (soon) to its home turf. According to Automotive News Europe, “Tesla will start the European rollout of its Model 3 in February, putting pressure on German premium brands that have seen the Model S outsell flagship sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz S class.”

Gibbs reports, “The Model 3 will cost 63,000 euros ($72,000) in Germany for the long-range battery pack version, a German Tesla dealer said. The Performance version, which adds a second electric motor, will also be sold in Europe. The German dealer wouldn’t comment on the price of the Performance version but a UK dealer estimated it would cost around 72,000 pounds ($92,000). The prices don’t include local purchase incentives for electric cars.”

Looking ahead, “First deliveries of the Model 3 in German-speaking markets will go to Switzerland, the German dealer said. Norway will also see cars in February, according to a tweet from a Norwegian on the reservation list.” Gibbs notes, “Customers without reservations will get a car quicker if they choose the more expensive Performance version, the German dealer said. Customers ordering the less expensive version would receive their car in the summer, the dealer said.”

Watch as Tesla decides to surprise Model 3 reservation holders in Germany (Youtube: Tesla)

Gibbs writes, “Among full-electric cars, the Model 3 will go up against the Jaguar I-Pace and the Audi e-tron, which are both being rolled out in Europe. It’s also likely to cannibalize sales from Tesla’s own range, especially the Model S, among customers who want the latest electric car and are less concerned about the category it sits in.” [Editor’s note: That has apparently note been the case in the US, where the Model 3 has already seen ~140,000 sales.]

How are Tesla’s sales in the region with its larger sedan, the Model S? According to Gibbs, “The Model S now outsells the range-topping sedans from Mercedes, BMW, and Audi in their European home markets. In the first 10 months, the Model S has sales of 13,209 in Europe, according to JATO Dynamics market researchers. The No. 2 seller was the [Mercedes] S class with a volume of 12,688, followed by the BMW 7 series with sales of 8,221 and the Audi A8, which sold 4,854 units.”

A Tesla Model S in Germany. (Image via Tesla Shuttle)

However, the company’s Model X SUV hasn’t been quite as successful as its Model S. Gibbs reports, “Tesla also sold 8,801 units of its Model X SUV in Europe through October, according to JATO data.” However, “A smaller SUV badged Model Y will be unveiled next year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said.”

About the Author

Matt Pressman is all about Tesla. He’s a TSLA investor, pre-ordered the Model 3, and loves driving the family's Model S and Model X company cars. As co-founder of EVANNEX, a family business specializing in aftermarket Tesla accessories, he’s served as a contributor/editor of Electric Vehicle University (EVU) and the Owning Model S and Getting Ready for Model 3 books. He writes daily about Tesla and you can follow his work on the EVANNEX blog.