Tesla prices keep dropping, Model 3 & Y now at lowest prices ever
Tesla prices have been falling all year, and today we’ve got another price cut to report on most trims of Tesla’s most popular models, leaving the Model 3 at the lowest price it’s ever been.
Model Y – Long Range & Performance are $2k cheaper
The Model Y Long Range and Model Y Performance are both now listed for $2,000 less than they were earlier today, with the Model Y Long Range going for $48,490 and the Model Y Performance going for $52,490 on Tesla’s website.
Previously, the models started at $50,490 and $54,490 respectively.
The change comes days after Tesla introduced the cheapest Model Y the US has seen, the new Model Y Rear-wheel drive which starts at $43,990. That model was not subject to today’s $2k price drop, and remains at the same price it was introduced at earlier this week.
Model 3 is now the cheapest Tesla ever
The Model 3 has also seen a price reduction, with all three trims getting discounted as compared to earlier today. The Model 3 Rear-wheel drive and Long Range versions both get a $1,250 price cut, and the Performance model is down $2,250 from previous pricing.
These models now start at $38,990 for the RWD, $45,990 for the LR and $50,990 for the Performance model. Previously they sold for $40,240, $47,240 and $53,240 respectively.
The new prices mean that with even modest state, local or regional tax credits, on top of the $7,500 federal credit, a new Model 3 could cost less than $30k for the right buyer. This is the cheapest new Tesla ever, save the questionably briefly-available $35k Model 3 – though between inflation and lower tax credit availability, today’s Model 3 is an even better deal than that one would have been.
The Model 3 recently got a big refresh with lots of changes in foreign markets, though the refreshed “Highland” Model 3 is not expected to be available in the US until next year. So Tesla probably feels the need to sweeten the pot a little for buyers who might otherwise wait for the new version to come out.
This is the latest in a long line of Tesla price cuts, starting in January but continuing with several more this year. Most recently, the company took a big chunk off Model S and X prices and also cut the price of FSD by $3k.
In addition to this, most Teslas now qualify for Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, which Tesla previously could not access after it ran out of the previous EV credit, so many buyers can receive another $7,500 credit on their federal income taxes. Although this may not last forever – due to the way the tax credit law works, Tesla’s cheapest models which use LFP batteries made in China may lose access to half of the credit next year.
Electrek’s Take
Teslas now cost tens of thousands of dollars less than they did at the end of 2022. Sure, 2022 was on the tail end of a year or two of significant price increases, while the EV market was highly squeezed due to COVID-related supply disruptions, but these drops have still been drastic.
The price drops even resulted in owner protests as recent buyers felt aggrieved at their cars losing thousands of dollars of residual value overnight. Imagine that, protesting in favor of inflation.
The drops have also affected the rest of the EV market, as Tesla’s dominant position as the market and brand leader in EVs, along with its previously industry-high margins mean that it has more room to prevail in a price war against other manufacturers, while still maintaining a brand perception as being a higher class of electric vehicle.
This has resulted in difficulty for other manufacturers trying to sell similar vehicles. We just saw this earlier today, as VW ID.4 quarterly numbers came out. While the ID.4 saw record sales, VW only sold 10,707 EVs in the US in Q3. That’s less than a tenth of the number of EVs Tesla delivered in the US in the same time frame.
The ID.4 is currently cheaper than the Model Y, at a base price of $37,495 (plus destination), but every Tesla price drop eats away at that difference.
And this, I believe, is the source of the current complaints around the industry about “demand problems” with EVs. Many manufacturers are lamenting difficulty in growing sales after having no trouble selling every EV they made in 2021 and 2022. But those manufacturers largely have not been dropping their prices this year, whereas Tesla has (well, VW did offer a cheaper ID.4 model this year, just like Tesla has with the RWD).
To extend on the above example, an ID.4 is an incredibly attractive offer at ~$38k against a Model Y at $66k, especially if you can get the tax credit on the ID.4 and not on the Y. But if you shave an effective ~$25k off the price of that Model Y, that calculus is going to change. Maybe that’s why the Model Y is now the best selling car in the world.
Same goes for comparisons to other vehicles, most of which are around the same price they were last year. But if parts shortages are over, if component materials are much cheaper, and if your competition is shellacking you in sales while still managing to lower prices by five digits multiple times over, maybe a little price competition is in order (and the same applies to industries other than automotive, by the way…).
And despite my personal dislike of Elon Musk’s ridiculous shenanigans, at this point, I would be hard-pressed to say there is any better deal in EVs than the Model 3, or even in cars as a whole. Save perhaps for the excellent Chevy Bolt, which is a screaming deal at a base MSRP of $26,500 in its last quarter of production.
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DJI may be best known for drones, but the company just launched a ground-based product that has the power to keep all your tech airborne – and then some. The new DJI Power 2000 is a 2,048 Wh portable power station with a 3,000 W output that quietly muscles its way into the heavy-hitter end of the mobile power world. I’ve been testing it for the past week in a wide range of scenarios – from charging up my electric tractor in the field to power my family’s chest freezer. And of course smaller jobs like charging up my phone and drone are easy jobs too. From my experience so far, I can tell you that this thing delivers.
But before I get into all the praise, let me get my one gripe out of the way early: You can’t use the DJI Power 2000 until you pair it with the DJI Home app.
That step alone doesn’t take long, but I’m not a fan of products that require a phone connection to get started.
When I take a power station out of the box, I want to push a button and see juice, not start pairing like I’m connecting Bluetooth earbuds.
With that said, once it’s set up, the Power 2000 makes a compelling case as the go-to portable power station for everything from remote camping to emergency home use.
It’s quiet. It’s fast. It’s powerful. And it might be one of the most rugged unit I’ve tested – which is a LOT of power stations by this point.
You can definitely tell that it’s built solidly, and I really like the 1/4-20 threaded inserts on the sides for mounting accessories – either those from DJI or others that I could possibly dream up.
Big power, fast charging
Let’s start with the headline numbers: 2,048 watt-hours of capacity and a continuous 3,000W output. That’s enough to run nearly any household appliance, including a microwave, power tools, or even charging up my electric UTV.
When I plugged in my Kandi UTV, the DJI Power 2000 didn’t even flinch. This would be a great way to recharge in the field if you ever accidentally ran low on power in the field. To put it in slightly outdated terms, it’s the equivalent of a little red gasoline can, but in the electric era.
As another “charging out in the field” test, I tried it out with my NESHER L880 electric loader. You shouldn’t ever run out of charge in an electric tractor as long as you’re watching your battery meter – but if you ever did, this would be a convenient way to get some charge back into it to drive home.
And as an added bonus, the NESHER L880’s loader bucket makes a great way to carry the fairly heavy power station around in the pasture.
For ports, the unit features four AC outlets, four USB-A ports, and four USB-C ports (two at 140W and two at 65W), plus dedicated SDC drone ports and a DC car outlet. I also used it to power my chest freezer for a test – it ran smoothly for hours, simulating a blackout scenario where this could genuinely save hundreds of dollars in spoiled food.
Charging the Power 2000 itself is no slouch, either. DJI claims it can go from 0 to 100% in 90 minutes from a standard wall outlet, and my tests confirmed it. I clocked just under an hour to nearly 80%, which is pretty impressive for a battery this size. It also supports car charging and solar input – dual 1.8 kW fast charging if you have the right panels and setup.
Quiet, durable, and smart
What impressed me most beyond the specs was how thoughtfully rugged the Power 2000 is. It uses LFP battery cells (my favorite for safety and longevity), is built with flame-retardant materials, and can allegedly support up to one ton of static weight. While I didn’t park a car on it, I did load it into the back of my electric UTV and bounce it down a dirt trail and across many acres of pasture land. It kept powering devices without interruption, despite getting a decent workout and tossed around quite a bit.
DJI claims that the unit includes 26 built-in temperature sensors that provide constant real-time monitoring, along with 21 fuses to handle any operation abnormality. Those seem like weirdly high numbers, but sure, why not?
DJI also offers a Zignes 100W solar panel and a solar panel adapter, which I tested out for a solar charging setup. It’s not enough to fully recharge the unit quickly on its own, but it’s a nice bonus for trickle charging during daylight hours or topping off mid-campout. And of course you can bundle more solar panels to double or triple the charging power via DJI’s adapter, which can also mount to the side of the unit with the built-in threaded inserts in the side of the power station.
Drone-friendly by design
As expected from DJI, there’s native support for their drone ecosystem. It’s a nice touch that makes this more than just a generic battery box – it’s clearly built for creators and drone operators in mind.
The system works to rapid charge DJI drones including the Air 3, Mavic 3, Inspire 3, and Matrice series. Of course I’ve got the one that doesn’t work: the Mini series. But that’s ok, since I was still able to charge it and the controller directly from the USB-C ports on the power station.
Final Thoughts
At $1,299, the DJI Power 2000 isn’t the cheapest battery in town, but for the performance, safety, and sheer ruggedness it delivers, the price seems quite fair compared to other units in the market that don’t feel as well put together. This isn’t just a big battery in a plastic shell. It’s an industrial-grade power station built to handle your wildest overlanding trips, blackouts, and gear-charging needs with ease.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. But I’d recommend DJI also rethink requiring an app just to get started. The Power 2000 deserves to shine on its own, right out of the box.
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Mercedes-Benz continues to demonstrate the capabilities of its future lineup of all-electric vans and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs), all atop its new 800V Van Architecture. Most recently, Mercedes drove two test versions of its VLE MPVs nearly 1,100 kilometers, from Germany to Rome, Italy.
While Mercedes-Benz remains a leading provider of vans, that is one of the few vehicle segments it has truly electrified. At least, not yet. Beginning in 2026, Mercedes intends to begin launching a new series of all-electric, ultra-efficient vans and multi-purpose vehicles on its new Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA).
VAN.EA was unveiled in 2023 as a new 800-volt purpose-built EV architecture that will support both mid and large vans. These new models will feature 4MATIC AWD, significantly expanding driving range and ensuring the BEVs “meet the highest standards regardless of weather conditions.”
In the fall of 2024, we first looked at early camouflaged prototypes testing on public roads. One model, originally codenamed the VAN.EA-P has completed winter testing in Sweden and has since been renamed the VLE by Mercedes.
The VLE and a second all-electric model called the VLS will be the first two Mercedes vehicles to hit the market atop the new Van Electric Architecture. Still, before then, the German automaker took two test models of the former through the Alps to Rome, only stopping to charge twice along the way.
Mercedes’ VLE demonstrates efficiency through EU
According to Mercedes-Benz, two VLE electric van test models recently completed a real-world trip from Stuttgart to Rome, covering 1,090 kilometers (677 miles) and traversing steep, winding mountain passes in the Alps.
The trip lasted approximately 13 hours and faced steady traffic. It began at Mercedes HQ in Stuttgart, Germany, where temperatures were 52°F, and ended in Rome, where temperatures were significantly higher at 91°F. Despite the long route and weather changes, Mercedes said the cabin temperature of each VLE remained comfortable at 72°F.
During the nearly 1,110-kilometer journey, Mercedes says the VLE vans only stopped to charge twice, completing sessions around 15 minutes each time. By completing the journey, Mercedes-Benz says it has confirmed the VLE is ready for real-world use and will bring space and efficiency to families and adventure seekers alike. Per Dr. Andreas Zygan, Head of Development Mercedes-Benz Vans, Mercedes-Benz AG:
Our future MPVs have once again impressively demonstrated their suitability for everyday use on the long-distance route. With just two short charging stops from Stuttgart to the Alps to Rome – the Mercedes-Benz VLE demonstrates impressive efficiency of the new Van Electric Architecture.
Mercedes said it will continue to test the VLE and its Van Electric Architecture in Stuttgart and in real-world environments en route to product launches in 2026 as promised. As mentioned before, two of those initial models have now been confirmed with the names “Mercedes-Benz VLE” and the “Mercedes-Benz VLS.”
The VLE can accommodate up to 8 seats and serves a multitude of purposes, from family-friendly transport to exclusive VIP shuttles. Like the VLE, Mercedes is hailing the VLS as a “Grand Limousine” that will “define a unique segment of its own that bestows true greatness to automotive luxury.”
Better yet, Mercedes says it will offer these all-electric MPVs or Grand Limousines for the first time in the US, Canada, and China. As we move closer to 2026, we expect to see more of the VLE and VLS inside and out, and learn more about the performance specifications and pricing Mercedes intends to deliver. Stay tuned.
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As it struggles to sell EVs in the US, Toyota is resorting to bigger, gas-powered SUVs. That new Toyota electric SUV we are still waiting on? It’s delayed again, but there’s more to it.
Toyota pushes to sell gas SUVs as EV sales slump
Toyota sold 1,223 models of the bZ4X, its sole electric SUV in the US, last month. That’s less than the nearly 1,400 it sold in June 2024 despite upgrading it for the 2025 model year.
Through the first half of 2025, Toyota has sold 9,249 bZ4X models in the US, down from the nearly 9,500 sold in the same period last year.
Its luxury Lexus brand is also struggling to sell its electric SUV, the RZ. Last month, Lexus RZ sales fell 30% to just 763 units. Through the first half of 2025, RZ sales are down by a third (-33%), with just 3,779 units sold.
As the struggles continue, Toyota is now delaying more EV models as it shifts its focus back to gas-powered SUVs.
Toyota plans to begin producing a new electric SUV at its Kentucky plant in 2028, a year later than initially expected. The new EV was scheduled to be built at the automaker’s Princeton, Indiana, facility, following an additional $1.4 billion investment made last April.
According to AutoNews, the sudden shift is to free up capacity for its massive gas-powered Grand Highlander SUV.
Toyota is consolidating EV production and will build the new EV in Kentucky alongside a separate three-row electric SUV. The larger electric SUV is set for production in late 2026, rather than earlier in the year as initially planned.
“As previously announced, Toyota plans to produce two all-new, three-row battery electric SUVs in the US. Toyota will now assemble both vehicles at Toyota Kentucky,” Toyota said in a statement.
Toyota will ramp up production of the Grand Highlander in Indiana with a new dedicated assembly line. Through the first half of 2025, Toyota Grand Highlander sales are 20% with over 65,000 units sold.
Despite the delay, Toyota is still planning to launch seven new EVs in the US by mid-2027, including under the Lexus brand.
Later this year, Toyota will introduce the new bZ electric SUV (an upgraded bZ4X) with more driving range and an added NACS port to charge at Tesla Superchargers.
The smaller Toyota C-HR and rugged bZ Woodland electric SUVs are expected to arrive sometime next year.
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