Tesla Model 3 Makes 258 HP, EPA Filing Reveals

When Tesla officially launched the Model 3 last month, we got a lot of information about the car. We learned that customers will be able to pick between a regular and extended-range battery. We learned how long each version will go on a single charge. We learned how quickly they accelerate. But interestingly, Tesla didn’t want to say how much power the car makes and how big the battery pack is. Thanks to leaked Environmental Protection Agency documents, though, we now know.

Inside EVs got its hands on this EPA filing, and after doing some quick math determined the Model 3 has an 80.5-kilowatt-hour battery pack. As it points out, Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, has previously said the Model 3 can’t fit more than a 75-kWh battery, but he may have been talking about usable capacity, not necessarily the maximum. The standard car, meanwhile, likely has around a 55-kWh battery. As we’ve previously reported, Tesla estimates the standard car will return 220 miles of range, while the Model 3 with the larger battery will do 310 miles on one charge.

The EPA documents reveal the Model 3’s horsepower rating, too. In rear-wheel-drive, extended-range form, it looks like the Model 3 makes 258 hp. Sadly, there’s no information on how much power the standard car makes yet.

It’s also interesting to see how much less the Model 3 weighs than the Model S. Weighing in at 3,837 pounds, the Model 3 is nearly 1,000 pounds lighter than the 4,647-pound Model S. It’s still no lightweight, but that’s a significant difference.

Of course, the version we’re most interested in is the upcoming performance variant. It’s currently set to arrive sometime next year, but Tesla hasn’t revealed any additional details. Presumably, it’ll be a dual-motor version that will compete with the Mercedes-AMG C63 and BMW M3. Whether or not it will make a viable alternative to those cars, though, remains to be seen.

Source: Inside EVs, EPA

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