There is a historically popular choice for consumers looking for an affordable, reliable, high-performing electric vehicle, and that EV just hit a record 3 million sales — amounting to one sold every 90 seconds over the last eight years, as reported by Teslarati.
Tesla's "Model 3 has become the choice of more than 3 million car owners worldwide and has won the global pure electric sedan sales champion for seven consecutive years," Tesla China Vice President Grace Tao wrote in a Weibo post, per Teslarati.
Tesla unveiled the Model 3 when the company was known as more of a premium car brand. It had only made its Model X and Model S before dipping its toes into the mainstream car market. This was a major pivot for the company, with long-lasting effects on the way the average consumer viewed EV ownership.
"Because the Model 3 was simply a great car, electric or otherwise, it was able to prove that there is serious demand for reasonably priced mass-market EVs," wrote Teslarati. "It was also able to pave the way for the Model Y, Tesla's mass-market all-electric crossover that ultimately became the world's best-selling car in 2023 and 2024."
The car was popular from the get-go. The sedan piqued the average consumer's curiosity for an affordable, day-to-day EV or, as Wired called it in a 2018 review, "the car for everyone."
This milestone comes at a critical moment. The year so far has seen an uptick in instances of vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles, related to protests against CEO Elon Musk, as well as a slight decline in the overall EV market.
Not to mention, the deadline for taking advantage of the federal tax credits available for EVs has been set for Sept. 30, according to the recent legislation. Though even after taking a hit in sales this year, "Tesla's two mass-market vehicles still outsold the next eight EVs combined," reported Teslarati.
In every comparison, EVs are better for the environment than gas-powered cars. For starters, EVs use no oil, so running one creates zero carbon pollution. Secondly, while it's true that minerals are mined for lithium-ion batteries, the process is becoming increasingly cleaner. These batteries can be affordably repaired and recycled, whereas dirty energy like gas and diesel is burned up upon use.
Lastly, transporting energy for EVs (which may just as likely come from solar or wind as from dirty energy sources like coal) creates no harmful carbon pollution. Energy zips along wires at lightning speeds, whereas oil is transported via rail, ships, and trucking, which are major polluters, and pipelines, which can experience devastating leaks.
Many EV owners opt out of dirty energy completely and install solar panels to save even more money and make their EV charging completely carbon neutral. EnergySage is an easy-to-use tool for comparing quotes from vetted local solar installers, whether you're just curious or ready to buy. EnergySage can help you identify any local or federal tax credits and save up to $10,000 on solar installations.
Making your next car an EV is an easy choice for your wallet, safety, comfort, and the environment.
If you're thinking about buying an EV, which of these factors is most likely to convince you that it's a smart decision? Seeing friends and family buy EVs Seeing first responders use EVs Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Comments