Tesla officially unveils new Model 3 Performance with 0-60 mph in 2.9 sec
Tesla has officially unveiled and opened orders for the new Model 3 Performance and confirmed a new 0 to 60 mph acceleration in 2.9 seconds.
After months of rumors, prototype sightings, and leaks, Tesla has finally unveiled the new Model 3 Performance.
It is very much based on the new Model 3 refresh unveiled last year, which lacked a performance version until now.
However, it is also more than just a performance version of the refresh. Tesla has definitely stepped up with this new version. Prior performance versions were merely software-unlocked Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor vehicles with better brakes and a spoiler slapped on top of it.
Now, Tesla is making many more changes to the new Model 3 Performance version, including body changes – specifically a new front lip and rear diffuser.
It is giving the vehicle a sliglhly more aggressive look than the regular versions of the Model 3.
But people are going to be buying it for its performance, which is the main new information coming from the official unveiling as everything had previously leaked.
Tesla confirmed a 0 to 60 mph acceleration in just 2.9 seconds:
Experience our latest generation Performance drive unit—the most powerful ever fitted to Model 3, enabling more than 500 horsepower and 0 to 60 mph in as little as 2.9 seconds.
That’s good to have some fun at a red light or when passing on the highway but to have real, safe, and legal fun with this performance, you have to go to the race track and Tesla has a new track mode for that:
Tesla writes about track mode:
Our latest Track Mode calibrates adaptive suspension, chassis and powertrain controls to give you more control behind the wheel. When driving on track, customize handling balance, stability control and regenerative braking precisely to your liking.
Tesla also says that “an all-new adaptive damping system keeps Model 3 Performance planted to the road, so you can confidently tackle corners at any speed with maximum control and comfort.”
Like previous Model 3 Performances, the new version has bigger brake calipers. You need more stopping power to control the 500 hp.
The new Model 3 Performance also comes with all the new changes introduced in the Model 3 refresh, like a rear screen, customizable ambient lighting, and more.
The only way you will recognize it as a Model 3 Performance from other Model 3s from the interior is with the new sports seats:
Other than the confirmed 2.9-second acceleration, the main new information confirmed today is the pricing.
Tesla confirmed that the new Model 3 Performance starts at $53,000 before incentives:
Tesla also claims an EPA range of 296 miles on a single charge – the performance takes almost 50 miles off the range of the Model 3.
The 20″ forged wheels are a big factor in that lower range, but 296 miles (476 km) is plenty for most people.
Electrek’s Take
It took a while, but it was worth the wait. I have one of the very first Model 3 Performances, and I love it. It’s such a fun car. This update looks meaningful enough that I would consider upgrading.
You get all the benefits of incremental improvements to the Model 3 over the last few years. For me, the cabin noise and vibration reduction would be a big one. My 2018 Model 3 is noisy.
But you also get the cleaner interior, updated number, rear screen, new seats, and you shave 0.4 second off your 0 to 60 mph acceleration. That’s not bad.
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Fueled by incentives from the Illinois EPA and the state’s largest utility company, new EV registrations nearly quadrupled the 12% first-quarter increase in EV registrations nationally – and there are no signs the state is slowing down.
Despite the dramatic slowdown of Tesla’s US deliveries, sales of electric vehicles overall have perked up in recent months, with Illinois’ EV adoption rate well above the Q1 uptick nationally. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that the number of new EVs registered across the state totaled 9,821 January through March, compared with “just” 6,535 EVs registered in the state during the same period in 2024.
Those numbers represent more than 50% growth in EV registrations – far beyond the expected 12% first-quarter increase nationally being projected by Cox Automotive. (!)
What’s going on in Illinois?
While President Trump and Elmo were running for re-election, they campaigned on the threat promise of canceling the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs. Along with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker made countermoves – launching a $4,000 rebate for new electric cars and up to $1,500 for the purchase of a new electric motorcycle.
At the same time, the state’s largest utility, ComEd, launched a $90 million EV incentive program featuring a new Point of Purchase initiative to deliver instant discounts to qualifying business and public sector customers who make the switch to electric vehicles. That program has driven a surge in Class 3-6 medium duty commercial EVs, which are eligible fro $20-30,000 in utility rebates on top of federal tax credits and other incentives (Class 1-2 EVs are eligible for up to $7,500).
We covered the launch of those incentives when the program was announced at Chicago Drives Electric last year, but the message here is simple: incentives work.
SOURCES: Chicago Business, Ray Cunningham; featured image by the author.
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The electric construction equipment experts at XCMG just released a new, 25 ton electric crawler excavator ahead of bauma 2025 – and they have their eye on the global urban construction, mine operations, and logistical material handling markets.
Powered by a high-capacity 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery capable of delivering up to 8 hours of continuous operation, the XE215EV electric excavator promises uninterrupted operation at a lower cost of ownership and with even less downtime than its diesel counterparts.
XCMG is delivering on part of that reduced downtime promise with the lower maintenance and easier repair needs of electric equipment, and delivering on the rest of it with lickety-quick DC fast charging that can recharge the machine’s massive battery in 1.5-2 hours … but that’s not the slick bit. The XCMG XE125EV can be powered up without leaving the job site thanks to its BYD battery swap technology.
We first covered XCMG and its battery swap technology back in January, and covered similar battery-swap tech being developed by MOOG Construction offshoot ZQUIP, as well – but while XCMG’s battery tech has been in production for several years, it’s still not widely known about in the West (even within the industry).
XCMG showed off its latest electric equipment at the December 2024 bauma China, including an updated version of its of its 85-ton autonomous electric mining truck that features a fully cab-less design – meaning there isn’t even a place for an operator to sit, let alone operate. And that’s too bad, because what operator wouldn’t want to experience an electric truck putting down 1070 hp more than 16,000 lb-ft of torque!?
Easy in, easy out
The best part? All of the company’s heavy equipment assets – from excavators to terminal tractors to dump trucks and wheel loaders – all use the same 400 kWh BYD battery packs, Milwaukee tool style. That means an equipment fleet can utilize x number of vehicles with a fraction of the total battery capacity and material needs of other asset brands. That’s not just a smart use of limited materials, it’s a smarter use of energy.
You can check out all the XE215EV’s specs at this tear sheet, and get an in-person look at the Chinese company’s latest electric excavator this week in Munich, Germany.
SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG.
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As “extreme” weather events become more commonplace, the demand for reliable and portable energy continues to rise. In response to that growing demand for dependable off-grid power, Volvo has developed the new PU500 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) designed to take electrical power when it’s needed most.
Designed to be deployable in a number of environments at a moment’s notice, the Volvo Energy PU500 BESS is equipped with approximately 500 kWh of usable battery capacity (up to 540 kWh total). More than enough juice, in other words, to power a remote construction site, disaster response effort, or even a music festival – anything that needs access to reliable electricity beyond a grid connection.
That’s great, but what sets the PU500 apart from other battery storage solutions is its integrated 240 kW DC fast charger.
“With an integrated CCS2 charger, the PU500 is designed to work with all brands of electric equipment, trucks, and passenger cars,” says Niklas Thulin, Head of BESS Product Offer at Volvo Energy. “This ensures that no matter what type of electric vehicle or machinery you rely on, the PU500 can provide the power you need, making it a truly flexible solution for any grid constrained site or location.”
The integrated charger in the PU500 has the impressive ability to charge a heavy equipment asset (be that an electric semi truck or something like a wheel loader) in under two hours. Its on-board capacity allows to fully recharge up to 3 electric HD trucks or 20 electric cars per day, making it an incredibly versatile disaster response asset.
Electrek’s Take
As we often say over at The Heavy Equipment Podcast, “just because you’re working for the power company doesn’t mean you have power,” and there are hundreds of scenarios where the extra power provided by something like the new PU500 would be useful. Its ability to be palletized and easily moved or swapped out of a larger BESS array, too, just add to its flexibility.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Volvo.
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