The Irish can often be left behind a little bit, but Tesla have confirmed their electric cars will feature on these roads in 2017.
We recently brought you some of the practical issues Tesla may not have considered when planning to launch their cars on Irish roads next year. Â This followed confirmation by Tesla’s founder Elon Musk in February that the company would expand to Ireland. Following the announcement of the electric car manufacturer’s long awaiting Model 3, Musk confirmed Ireland would be included on the innovative car’s order page.
What is the Tesla Model 3?
The Tesla Model 3 is the latest electric car from one of the world’s best known electric car manufacturer. Tesla have revolutionised electric motoring by stying their creations on super cars and sports cars to generate an electric car, attractive to the masses.
The Model 3 is the first Tesla car which can be considered widely affordable. Boasting arguably the best range of an electric car at 215 miles, the Model 3 could just about get you from Grafton Street in Dublin to Shop Street in Galway with a few kilometres left in the batteries.
In terms of the standard automotive features, the Model 3 is by no means a boring, entry level car. Accelerating from 0-60 in under six seconds, the Model 3 is just as fast, if not faster than an Audi A6, Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen Golf. It is also a few seconds faster than the Nissan Leaf.
In terms of features, the Tesla Model 3 does come with Auto pilot installed, the self-driving technology. In the base model, safety features will be enabled, such as collision avoidance, helping towards the car receiving a 5-star safety rating. Further features will be available, but only if you pay for them.
Tesla Ireland: Where can I buy the Model 3?
Adding several more countries to Model 3 order page tonight. Check for details, but will include India, Brazil, SA, SK, NZ, Sing & Ireland.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 31, 2016
While Tesla plan to be available in Ireland this year, the Model 3 is unlikely to be here any earlier than 2017 if not 2018. Tesla have stated that special priority will be given to Californians and early Tesla backers. The Model three has also proven popular beyond belief, which the company have yet to comment on with regard to availability.
The UK currently has 13 Tesla dealerships, so it’s likely the Dublin area will have one. While nothing has been confirmed, you should be able to order your car on the Telsa website, or potentially from a dealership.
Tesla Ireland: How much will it cost?
While we should have the other Tesla motors available in Ireland this year, it’s ultimately the Model 3 which could make this a popular car. The Model 3 is widely considered to be the best truly affordable all electric car. You can expect you pay around €31,000 for the basic Model 3 which comes with some nice goodies as standard, including Auto pilot safety features.
We are not forgetting the likes of the extremely affordable Nissan Leaf, but the cool factor is something Tesla have nailed with the Model 3.
Electric car tax breaks in Ireland
While the general consensus is that the Model 3 is affordable, there is further good news for those of you considering to purchase an electric car. There are benefits in place for those adopting electric cars in Ireland. To achieve 10% of all Irish vehicles being electric by 2020, the Irish Government provides a grant. This €5000 grant will be awarded to the first 6000 electric vehicles purchased through authorised dealers.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on Tesla’s growing presence in Ireland, so follow us on social media to get the latest.
