Words by Marcus Boothby
The Tesla Model 3 is a fine car by all means, thanks to its relatively affordable price tag, decent range and the amount of stuff you get as standard. We quite like the Model 3 for now as it is that one step closer to defeating range anxiety, while offering a complete package of speed, comfort and luxury features.
Other people think this too, with it being the UK’s most popular car in April 2020, despite the rise of COVID-19 across the country and the subsequent lockdown. However, the Tesla way of buying cars is practically contact-free; a practise traditional dealerships are only now doing.
According to data from the Society of Motor Manufactures and Traders (SMMT), a mere total of 4321 new cars were sold in April 2020, with 658 of these new cars being Model 3’s. That’s a 15% majority, with the Jaguar I-Pace taking second place with 367 units being sold in the same month. It’s likely that most of the Model 3’s will be going to fleets across the country but it might be a sign of change as during the on-going lockdown, air and noise pollution has dropped dramatically. Along with more and more charge points and Superchargers being built in the UK, the electric car is quickly becoming more popular to private and fleet buyers.
The I-Pace is the UK’s second best selling car in April 2020
When you look at the data, the three of the ten most popular new cars in the UK were electric, with the third most popular EV being the Nissan Leaf, selling 72 units. So this means 1097 of the new cars sold in April were purely electric. That’s a 25.39% market share going to EVs.
The figures for the following months will be interesting as the UK eases their lockdown procedures and with more EVs coming in the next few months, as we have the Porsche Taycan and VW ID.3 coming to the market soon. The ID.3 will be the one which may shake up the market as it undercuts the Model 3 in terms of price, while offering a similar range.
For those interested, the Tesla Model 3 starts at £40,490 for the Standard Range Plus version and this offers you a WLTP rated range of 254 miles, a 0-60mph time of 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 140mph. You get 18-inch wheels as standard, an all leather interior with 12-way power seats, a good sound system, a 15-inch central screen, power and heated mirrors, Bluetooth, and four USB ports. It’s a solid buy even with the basic model.