It makes sense to drop premium features on a more affordable EV, but Tesla goes overboard with the new Standard trim Model Y and Model 3. I’d have expected a price cut closer to $10,000.
In an effort to boost sales, Tesla has introduced more affordable Standard versions of its Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV. With the $7,500 federal EV tax credit gone, the automaker had the opportunity to reduce prices by the same amount or more. Instead, it made timid cuts and removed perks that make these Standard EVs less attractive for would-be EV buyers.
The big question is whether a small reduction in price is worth losing some of the electric car’s premium staples. I’ve driven a Tesla since 2018, when the Model 3 first debuted. I’ve also tested and reviewed a handful of other EVs, so I have a good handle on what’s important while driving one. The big takeaway? The roughly $5,000 difference between the Standard and Premium models isn’t enough to justify forgoing all the features being sacrificed.All the Small Oddities That Are Missing
To reduce the cost of a vehicle, certain features will need to be eliminated. That makes sense. What’s harder to grasp is how many of these little cuts were made without a bigger price decrease.
The one that sticks out to me is the removal of the AM/FM radio. I don’t use it a lot, but sometimes I’ll turn on terrestrial radio during short drives instead of poking around on Apple Music. More importantly, no FM radio would also mean the loss of listening to my local baseball announcers call a game during the summer.
