Taking the new Tesla Model 3 for a spin

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The Tesla car company was born almost a century after the automotive industry started booming in the United States , and several years after Detroit saw the birth of three great companies that used to dominate the market. Now, these companies are limping due to the rising demand of automobiles with fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

Unlike its predecessors, the electric car firm offered a vision of eco-friendly and hi-tech mobility and chose the San Francisco Bay area as its home. Tesla gathers companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook, and several technology professionals (programmers, developpers and such) , operating similarly to tratidional carmakers.

In San Francisco , a team from EL UNIVERSAL had the privilege of being the first Mexican media outlet to test drive the Tesla Model 3 . The electric car company lent us their red unit, which has a rear-wheel drive system , to test it for 24 hours and assess its pros and cons .

When boarding the automovile, the first thing the team noticed was the neatness of the board, which had very little buttons except for flasher controllers located in the hood module , next to the rear-view mirror and the interior lighting. The rest of the controls are monitored either through the main 15-inch screen or the Tesla smartphone app . At first sight it would appear to be a conceptual model, but it is very real.

The steering wheel’s axis has multifunctional controls to adjust the wing mirrors and steering wheel position. It also features audio volume and selection, speed, and distance monitoring. The panoramic hood runs through the entire cabin, starting from the windshield all the way to the boot.

Only an information card with the company logo, which you can easily carry in your wallet, is needed to enter the car.

The engine of the Model 3 is activated by tapping the brakes; the driver must then choose “Drive” on the shift lever to start driving the car. Two taps on the shift lever activate the Autopilot mode , which keeps the vehicle moving forward through the city traffick while remaining on the lane and keeping a safe distance from the vehicle ahead.

The Model 3 has a 350 kilometer capacity with the initial charge, which is enough for day-to-day tours . After receiving the vehicle, we drove it to the overlooks of the Golden Gate bridge .

We drove through pine groves and interesting curves to test the Model 3’s suspension with its sport calibration. The drive on board the electric unit was a pleasure to the senses due to the sound of the breeze and its potent audio system with streaming channels .

Both tourists and locals approached the car to ask about its main features. With a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 3.3 seconds (close to the acceleration rates of the BMW 330 and the Audi A5 ), the electric automaker offers an 8 year limited warranty for its batteries . Visitors were immediately tempted to try it out.

After our visit to the iconic steel bridge, we drove towards our next destination, watching bystanders giving us a thumbs up as they observed the striking body of the Tesla vehicle, equipped with 20-inch rims .

Our next route led us to the Ocean Beach Fire Pits , driving 12 kilometers in a straight line , which gave us the perfect oportunity to test the Autopilot feature for the Model 3 unit. The new Tesla’s operating system offered numerous advantages.

The recoveries of the Model 3 are one of its greatest assets, with the performance of a sport sedan Premium that is consistent with its price and a proper suspension for average users. Our next destination was the Tesla factory in Fremont at the end of the day.

Next morning we arrived for a photo shoot in front of the automobile factory and found the front parking lot full of vehicles that belonged to workers and suppliers. There were also numerous cargo trucks coming in and out of the streets leading to the plant.

It is important to stress that the Tesla Model 3 has completely overthrowed its competition in the United States . According to a report, it has sold more units than any other premium sedan line in the market.

During the photo shoot, a factory worker wearing a plaid shirt, jeans, and boots asked us if the Model 3 was ours, commenting that he had recently bought his own. At that moment, we thought about another great innovator of the automotive industry, Henry Ford , who once said: “I want to produce automobiles that my workers can afford to buy.”

After having the oportunity of testing the Tesla Model 3 for 24 hours, we delivered it in another location. The car gave us the impression of having visited a futuristic world where factory workers could afford to buy eco-friendly cars that can be easily charged in shopping malls. This has not become a reality just yet, though Elon Musk is working to make it happen.

The Tesla Model 3 is already available for purchase in Mexico to be delivered during spring and summer next year .