Alexandria Sage
Tesla sold the first of its highly anticipated Model 3 electric cars to employee buyers Friday at an event marking the unveiling of the company’s first mass-market vehicles. Chief executive Elon Musk personally handed over 30 Model 3s to the 30 employees selected to be the first proud owners at the company’s factory complex near San Francisco. “We finally have a great, affordable electric car, and it is absolutely what’s needed,” Musk said at a briefing. The event marked a major milestone for the company as it shifts from selling pricey luxury cars to more affordable electric cars available to ordinary consumers. Thousands of prospective buyers have already put down $1,000 deposits to reserve their own $35,000 Model 3s, though it’s unclear when Tesla will officially begin selling the vehicles. The Model 3 travels up to 220 miles before requiring a battery charge and will reportedly be equipped with software enabling the company’s partially self-driving system.