ICYMI: everything you need to know about the Tesla Model 3

“We have record CO2 levels,” explained Elon Musk at this week’s Tesla Model 3 launch in California. “We recently passed over 403 parts-per million of CO2 in the atmosphere. The last time there was this level of carbon concentration was 11 million years ago.

“Approximately when primates starting walking upright,” he added.

More so, he cited a recent report by the MIT that said in the US alone, 53,000 people die a year solely from toxic gases from car emissions. The future of the world then, is why Elon started Tesla in the first place.

“It’s very important to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport,” he said. Against this backdrop then, comes his fourth – and most affordable – car yet: the new Model 3 electric saloon.

It’s an important car for Tesla, no doubt, the first by the Californian carmaker to be produced in big numbers.

But, can it save the world? Have a click through the headline points, and then let us know below.

“We really believe at Tesla that safety has to come first,” Musk said. “We care about you, we want you to be safe, we want your friends and family to be safe.”

As such, he’s targeting a full five-stars for safety across all categories the 3 is tested in.

“At Tesla, we don’t make slow cars,” Musk said. So even the entry-level Model 3 will have enough accelerative prowess to go from 0-60mph in under six seconds.

More than that, he promised there would be more versions of the Model 3 that’d go even faster. Get ready for the ‘Ludicrous’ – or whatever they end up calling it – Model 3.

“All Model 3s will come standard with Autopilot hardware,” Musk explains, “and all Autopilot safety features will be present in every car.”

However, you’ll have to pay extra for the ‘convenience’ features on Autopilot – just like you have to do on the Model S and X. So stuff like traffic-aware cruise control, lane keeping with auto-steer, self-parking and automatic high/low beam headlights will be a cost option.

Yep. Apparently somebody asked Elon if you could fit a seven-foot long surfboard on the inside of a Model 3. “The answer is yes you can,” he remarked.

On a more practical note, Musk reckons five adults can sit comfortably in the Model 3. “Comfortably is the important part here,” he said. Thanks to moving the instrument panel forward, as well as the front seats, we’re promised better legroom all round.

Plus, the rear roof is one continuous pane of glass, “that gives you amazing headroom and a feeling of openness”, he added. There are also luggage areas front and back, just like in big brothers Model S and X.

That’s the very minimum, according to Musk. “We hope to exceed them,” he said.

“We need to achieve high volume production,” Musk said at the launch. “We’re confident Tesla can achieve 500,000 cars per year. The Gigafactory is a vital element.”

Vital, and huge. Musk said it will “have the largest footprint of any building of any kind. It’ll produce more lithium ion batteries than all other factories in the world combined”.

“I do feel fairly confident it will be next year,” he laughed. “Even if you buy it with no options at all, this will still be an amazing car.”

At least 115,000 people seem to think so – that’s the number of orders received for a Model 3 at the time of the car’s launch on 31st March.

“Thank you to everyone that ordered the car,” he said. “We love you.”

So, can the Model 3 really turn Tesla into the electric car powerhouse, and can it save the world? Let us know below.