The Model 3 has finally entered production and the first 30 orders we fulfilled at a special handover event in Australia just a little over a week ago. During the handover event, we learned some new things about the Model 3 and Tesla as a whole. Production of the Model 3 is set to ramp up significantly over the next year, but what was more important were the specs that we received. The Model 3 starts out at $35,000 and offers up a Tesla-estimated range of 220 miles. It can hit 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and tops out at 130 mph. If you opt for the long-range model, you’ll get 310 miles along with the ability to hit 60 mph in 5.1 seconds on the way to a top speed of 140 mph. And, those specs sound great and all, but our man Elon doesn’t exactly like to disclose all information up front, which means we were left with at least a few questions. We had no idea about system power output or even how much the car weighs. And, while we still haven’t gotten word from WonderBoy Musk or Tesla, the EPA has gotten its hands on an example of the Model 3 and issued a report that gives us some fresh info.

There’s really not much, but the EPA did test the long-range model, so we’re talking about a cost of at least $44,000. Reading the EPA report kind of feels like reading a different language at times, but if you dig through the report, more specifically on page four, you’ll find that the long-range model offers up just 258 horsepower. That means that the standard model probably offers a bit less. So, how is it still able to hit 60 mph so quickly? Well, you can credit the 3,837-pound curb weight. That, and the fact that the electric motor is a direct drive unit and it can deliver near-instantaneous torque. It may be able to beat out a lot of cars rated at the same output, but this baby won’t be beating any sports cars anytime soon. To put this into perspective a bit, the Model S tips the scale at 4,647 pounds, so the Model 3 is upward of 1,000-pounds lighter. We still don’t know for sure what size battery the Model 3 is toting around, but if you do the math, it should come out to be about an 80-kWh battery pack. That means the standard-range model likely makes use of a 50 or 60-kWh battery. And, for those of you who want to call out that the Model 3 should only support a 75-kWh battery, that figure was usable capacity, not maximum capacity, so be nice in the comments section. ;)

With all of this being said, we’ve obtained a PDF version of the EPA report that you can review for yourself. It has been embedded below. Is there anything important you can spot that we might have missed? Let us know in the comments section.

Handover Party Video

EPA Report on the Tesla Model 3

Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Tesla Model 3

Read all of our recent Tesla news

Read all of the recent news about Elon Musk