Tesla Model 3
The Tesla Model 3 is a fully electric sedan that went on sale in New Zealand in July 2019. Four variants are available, the RWD, Premium RWD, Premium LR RWD and Performance, priced from $54,900 to $86,900, making it the second most affordable electric sedan on sale in New Zealand.
WLTP range is 520 km on the Premium RWD and up to 750 km on the Premium LR RWD, from batteries of 62.3 to 85.3 kWh.
Tesla Model 3 Performance (2024-2026)
Tesla Model 3 Performance · 2024-2026Offers more power and less energy consumption than the previous Performance model. Includes sports seats, adaptive damping system, better track mode, and improved aerodynamics. Note that from late 2025, the model has 571 km WLTP range (up from 528 km of range).
Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 Premium LR RWD (2025-2026)
Tesla Model 3 Premium LR RWD · 2025-2026The long range rear wheel drive uses a 78.4 kWh NMC battery (from LG). The default trim has 18" wheels. Opting for 19" wheels will lower WLTP range to 691 km. This variant also sees the return of an indicator stalk (rather than buttons), an extra front bumper camera, and black exterior badging.
Name change in 2026.
Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD (MY27) (2026)
Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD (MY27)Available to order from October 2026, this variant had V2L added, along with a 16" touchscreen, and Zen Grey interior option, and option for 19" Dark Nova wheels. No changes to powertrain.
Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 Performance (MY27) (2026)
Tesla Model 3 Performance (MY27)Available from October 2026, this variant adds V2L, a small increase in range.
Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 Premium LR RWD (MY27) (2026)
Tesla Model 3 Premium LR RWD (MY27)Available to order from October 2026, this variant had V2L added, along with a 16" touchscreen, and Zen Grey interior option, and option for 19" Dark Nova wheels. No changes to powertrain.
Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 Long Range (2019-2021)
Tesla Model 3 Long Range · 2019-2021The Long Range Model 3 offers outstanding range, performance, and handling. There is no other sedan that compares in its price range.At the end of 2021, the Long Range model had a battery upgrade (75 to 82 kWh, range from 580 to 602 km).*** From January 2023, the Model 3 Long Range was no longer available.
Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 Long Range (2023-2025)
Tesla Model 3 Long Range · 2023-2025The upgraded long-range Model 3 was available to order from 2023. With a refreshed interior and exterior, it also has a modest increase in range (over the previous version). This was replaced by the Long Range RWD in 2025.
Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD (2023-2026)
Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD · 2023-2026The upgraded Model 3 was available to order from 2023. With changes to both interior, exterior, and powertrain (a modest increase in range). Note that the range figures quoted by Tesla appear to be for the 18" wheels. The larger 19" wheels will slightly decrease range.
Name change in 2026.
Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 RWD (MY27) (2026)
Tesla Model 3 RWD (MY27)To lower the price, the rear passenger touchscreen has been removed, the seats are trimmed in flat-woven textile and vegan leather, the frequency-dependent dampers are replaced by passive suspension, the audio drops from nine speakers to seven (and no FM/DAB radio), and ambient lighting is reduced to the footwells.
It keeps much of the Premium's equipment: a 16-inch front touchscreen, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, three USB-C ports, a panoramic glass roof, matrix LED headlights, a front bumper camera, power-folding mirrors, a hands-free boot, a heat pump, Sentry Mode and 18-inch Prismata wheels. Despite the lower price, it has a longer claimed WLTP range than the Premium RWD, 572 km against 520 km.
Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 RWD (2019-2023)
Tesla Model 3 RWD · 2019-2023At the end of 2021, Tesla added 10% capacity to the battery (50 to 60 kWh, range from 448 to 491 km, with acceleration from 5.6 to 6.1s. The name changed from Standard Range Plus to "Tesla Model 3" - Rear Wheel Drive. Tesla does not publish battery specs, so all usable battery specifications are estimates (often based on users doing a full charge and measuring electrical power with a third-party app).
Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 Performance (2019-2023)
Tesla Model 3 Performance · 2019-2023Performance
Range & Efficiency
Battery & Charging
Battery
DC fast charging
AC charging
Dimensions & Weight
Storage & Towing
Tesla Model 3 Review
Cross-shopping?
Here are some other EVs, like the Tesla Model 3 RWD (MY27), that might be worth a look.
Same price sedan, bigger battery and similar range, but less boot and no towing.
RANGE
520 km
POWER
200 kW
PRICE
$52,990
* DriveawayRival sedan from BYD, a bit pricier, with a similar size and towing but less power.
RANGE
460 km
POWER
150 kW
PRICE
$59,990
* DriveawaySedan, slightly pricier, with a bigger battery and similar range and 500 kg more towing.
RANGE
560 km
POWER
190 kW
PRICE
$58,990
* DriveawayTop-selling rival, a little pricier, SUV body and 1500 kg towing but 150 km less range.
RANGE
420 km
POWER
150 kW
PRICE
$57,990
* DriveawayWell-known Toyota SUV, a bit pricier, with similar range but a smaller boot.
RANGE
591 km
POWER
167 kW
PRICE
$58,990
* DriveawayHow many Tesla Model 3 have been sold in NZ?
There have been 9,795 registered to date (including 540 used imports).






