You could forgive Tesla Model 3 buyers if they were having second thoughts about pre-ordering the firm’s first ‘affordable’ vehicle.
Continuing production delays means delivery is likely to be delayed far longer than anticipated. And this week the electric vehicle failed to win a recommendation from the Consumer Reports website.
The influential website’s major beef is an alleged weakness in Model 3’s braking capabilities. In 60-0mph tests, the Model 3 stopped at 152 feet. That’s farther than a full-sized Ford pick-up truck, according to reports.
Now, in a tweet early on Tuesday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has vowed to fix the perceived flaw with a forthcoming firmware update. Musk said the company will continue making refinements until the Model 3’s breaking capabilities are superior to “any remotely comparable car.”
Looks like this can be fixed with a firmware update. Will be rolling that out in a few days. With further refinement, we can improve braking distance beyond initial specs. Tesla won’t stop until Model 3 has better braking than any remotely comparable car.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 22, 2018
Musk also said that reviewing site only had access to an early production car. Newer versions offer “improved ride comfort, lower wind noise & many other small improvements,” he said in a follow-up tweet.
In response, Consumer Reports has offered the automaker a reprieve once the over-the-air update has been pushed out.
“If Tesla can update the brakes over the air – an industry first – we’d be happy to retest our Model 3,” Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ director of automotive testing told Reuters.
Related: Elon Musk wants to build a diner
Those 400,000+ drivers who slapped down $1,000 to reserve their Model 3 sedan from early 2016 have been frustrated by the company’s production bottlenecks. Musk has vowed to boost production to 5,000 cars a week, in order to meet the demand for vehicle.
Is Tesla doing enough to meet the demand for the Model 3? Would you be cancelling your pre-order? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
