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Videos offer first look at what it’s like driving Tesla’s Model 3

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 9:15PM EST
Tesla Model 3 First Ride Videos
Image: Tesla

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Tesla unveiled its much-hyped Model 3 car late on Thursday and it’s already generated an impressive 130,000 reservations in just one day. Several attendees at yesterday’s big launch got to take rides in the new cars and they showed how the Model 3 will offer a really different driving experience compared to other cars on the market right now. Let’s check out some of the best videos below.

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Here’s a video from Tesla Motors Club:

Here’s one from GreenCarReports:

And here’s one from SlashGear:

So, a couple things really stand out in these videos. First, you’ll notice that there isn’t a traditional dashboard on the vehicle. Instead, all of the tools you need are integrated into a 15-inch touch display:

In the SlashGear video, the Tesla representative explains that it decided to put the touchscreen in a landscape position and not a portrait position so it would be easier to put key information right in your peripheral vision.

Another cool feature is the all-glass roof that gives passengers in the backseat a full view of the world around them. When the passengers’ cameras pan back to show the roof of the car, it looks like they’re driving in a convertible with the top down. In the GreenCarReports video, a Tesla rep explains that the glass roof is made from “laminated glass with layers inside it that have UV absorption functions” so you won’t get a sunburn while sitting inside the car on hot, sunny days.

This press photo should give you a good idea of just how much you’ll be able to see through the all-glass roof:

The videos also give us a look at Tesla’s trademark acceleration capabilities. While the Model 3 won’t get the same ludicrous acceleration as the Model S, it will still go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6 seconds or less, which is very impressive for a $35,000 car.

We still have a long way to go until the Model 3 actually starts shipping, but the first test rides we’ve seen make it clear that this car is loaded with promise.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.