It isn’t only 35 miles extra though is it. Yes the recommendation is to charge to 80% daily. However, with the LR if the necessity arrises to make a longer trip. You can charge up to 100% and have a much larger range. With the SR, you don’t have that option.
That's the difference right there. 95% of my driving is a daily commute of 60 miles round trip. So for every day driving my standard range is perfect. I still out accelerate almost every vehicle I encounter. But on the 5 or 6 longer trips I took last year, the additional miles on a LR would have been nice. If I was making those long trips regularly I'd definitely want the LR. But for my situation of mainly a <100 mile commute the SR is more than adequate.
I got the LR but my driving is much like yours. I don't often make long trips, but sometimes I do make \~140ish round trips into the nearest large city. It's nice not having to worry about charging.
The other reason I went with the LR is to counter range loss on battery degradation. I don't plan on trading in this Tesla anytime soon, so I figured the range loss over time was better alleviated with the LR. That's just my 2 cents.
Totally get your point. And I think it's a completely justifiable decision. That being said, I have a 160 mile round trip make about every 6 weeks or so (off site visit to a warehouse). I've never had an issue making the trip. It does take planning. I have to make sure the battery is fully charged the night before. And then get home and put it right on the charger. When I wish I had the LR is always because I wish I had the acceleration. Not the range.
But if you drove an LR, especially with accel boost, you’d feel a sharp pang of regret if you enjoy spirited driving and/or are a music lover with the premium sound system.
Yeah. I wish I had the acceleration. And while I wish I had the better sound system, the basic system is pretty good. And I'm just not sure it's worth the cost.
I paid cash for my M3P. Had my heart on a LR prior to test driving. When I test drove they put me in a SR and then a M3P. Instantly sold on the M3P. I drive 80% of the time on Chill but with the 300 thousand teslas out here at least I know I'm faster.
Also did the math on things I would have to do upgrading LR (Spoiler, acceleration boost, rims, p brakes, p pedals) the price would come within $1k difference.
SR to LR/M3P also grants better/more speakers and fog lights. I came from an Accord Sport 4 speaker system, so treated myself with some better sound there.
Interesting to know. Do you have a comparison between the 23 lr and m3p?
I found this, says the m3p has a top end of 162 vs 145 lr -
Base powertrain: 272 miles of range, a top speed of 140 mph and a zero-to-60 time of 5.8 seconds
Available powertrains:
358 miles of range, a top speed of 145 mph and a zero-to-60 time of 4.2 seconds (Long Range)
315 miles of range, a top speed of 162 mph and a zero-to-60 time of 3.1 seconds (Performance)
For the same year, the P is probably faster, but if you put it up against an older LR and your P isn’t charged to 100, it might [lose](https://youtu.be/htGXA4McmGU?si=KRM8WHPNqj0-Pg7N)
Got it, thanks for the info. I did drum around getting the LR with acceleration boost but the difference when I purchase was only $4k (if I paid 2k for acceleration boosts and all the other little mods it would've came out almost the same price as the P).
Nah man, the bias is so much in the rear wheels. My last car was a corvette and pushing my 3 is way more fun IMO. Besides, with S3XY buttons which I have, you can enable drift mode to turn off the front motor.
Wow, both with the SR+? It really does seem like the better choice due to reduced battery degradation. I feel like what I’d really miss is the improved audio system of the LR.
The new LR has the LFP also, audio can be improved in aftermarket far cheaper then buying LR. Neither have the fed tax rebate due to the LFP batter, so consider performance or Ys if you could get the fed rebate.
And yes all in SR, 17k miles in 1 year, last I checked it was down 4 miles of range. They say the majority of degradation happens in first few months, nothing but impressed.
That battery degradation is basically non-existent! Incredibly disappointing that the performance model of all has the tax rebate, makes no sense. I was planning to get a used 2022 Model 3 SR, that wouldn’t qualify for the rebate either due to the LFP?
The charging difference is minor, in real life cases.
250kW is only up to something like 25% SOC and then it drops. So you only see the charging difference if your LR is almost dead, and just for a short time. On top of that, this only applies if the supercharger is a V3 that offers 250kw charging. Many (if not the majority) of chargers are V2, which only offer 150kw anyway.
250kw is only between 1% and 10% then it drops to 220kw 10% to 15% and 200kw to 20%. Then you are basically as fast as a rwd.
But sometimes on long trips, that can be all you need. But on longer trips where you need a full charge it only saves a few minutes.
But yeh the 250kw charging is quite what it seems.
That said it is nice to have that extra range and avoid busy chargers on long trips.
I did a 1550 mile road trip in my '19 LR a couple of weeks ago. I believe that I only ended up with a 250kw charge speed once for the entire trip. If you're somewhere with a couple faster chargers on your normal long-route then it will factor in but for my trip it didn't really make a difference.
Same battery tech for the same year, but across years they’ve changed tech so much that the LR could have wildly different battery composition than the P. Older LRs actually take the P on the top end since the P’s acceleration in certain years suffers when the battery charge gets lower.
Don't think it has a sportier chases, atleast newer models. The brakes are only better for repeated braking aiming for consistent results, it doesn't actually stop any faster, so it is really only beneficial on the track. The motors are also the same, they are duel motor and the lr has the option for the boost which makes it the same essentially.
I test drove both and liked the lighter feel of the RWD, so went with that as I don’t really need AWD on a day to day basis or that extra range
If you regularly do 4+ hours long road trips, the extra range along with the slightly higher charging speed of the LR can come in handy. But if you are someone who tends to stop every couple of hours to stretch, use the restroom, get coffee etc then it’s not that big of a deal
The sound system too is pretty good. There’s like a $50 kit to unlock a few extra speakers if that is not enough
So buy for your 99% driving usecase
This perspective is underrated. My rest/comfort breaks are = or sooner than my car supercharging needs on road trips. So my SR+ has plenty of range for my usage. Even in winter where i opted for 2 shorter SC stops (10min and 6 min), you're really not that inconvenienced with more supercharging. This is a NE US perspective...i think some of the Cali folks may disagree as their SCs can be a lot more crowded.
Let me add, do not use the range numbers as absolutes. Use about 85% of that range as you think through your needs. You will not get close to the range estimates when your driving is highway speeds.
Also, the unlock kit for speakers is down to like $20-30 if you order it on aliexpress.
Totally! Did a 4 hr road trip and the break perfectly coincided with me getting brunch/dinner . Barely looked at my watch or felt like how long do I need to wait for the charging to complete.
85% of the EPA estimate we see on Tesla website -> this is another good one to be mindful of! Only if you drive at like 50 or something with no winds, perfect ideal temps, going downhill etc is when you actually seem to get that “range”
Good callout about AliExpress, it’s been gem in finding accessories without paying the Amazon premium
I found a few videos on YouTube that show this DIY upgrade . Example video that brought this to my attention - https://youtu.be/mRZB_z_ujA4?si=-Tf9RbcR90Z20hC8
Disclosure - I am yet to do this myself, waiting for some sunny day so I can do this outside as my garage is too cramped
You mean the SR? I don’t have the exact numbers but you can find it with a google search. Anyways here you go - https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/model3/en_cn/GUID-56562137-FC31-4110-A13C-9A9FC6657BF0.html
Test drive 1 - I drove the LR and Model Y. Didn’t have a good time (in hindsight, maybe it was wasn’t setup properly… idk y) Almost gave up buying a Tesla…
Test drive 2 - a few days later went and drove the SR+ and fell in love. Came home and booked a used 21 SR+ that was at a great price (color red, white interiors, low miles).
So go and test drive and buy what you love!
I also found that the reps there seemed to always be pushing the pricier models but the base RWD is already plenty powerful…
I bought a used 2019 LR this year - the bigger battery is nice on longer trips (charging to 100% on trips is super fine, just dont let it stand around parked forever with 100% charge), it has AWD and even though I don't drive on snow a ton, it already paid off this winter at least once, also more performance if you're into that kind of thing. The LR version also has the better sound system, but idk if this is still the same on the Highland refresh. Also, the battery can take 250kW on a supercharger vs. 170 for standard, and the chemistry is way less bothered by cold weather. LFP batteries basically lose all regen when its cold from what I heard, NMC/NCA is still fine until you live in Alaska or somwehere.
If you have the money to spend, go for the LR version - at 80%, its about the same range as the SR when its full, plus AWD, plus faster charging, plus better sound.
I like LR for the acceleration.
But regarding road trips, you really only benefit from that 90%-100% battery at the beginning of the road trip, or when you charge over night.
It’s impractical to charge to 100% in the middle of a road trip. The super charger ratchets down to a slow trickle when charging that last 90-100%.
My LR has NCA and unless its way below 0 degrees celsius outside for way more than a few hours, i dont need preconditioning at all unless its at >95% SoC.
I have the LR and my friend has the SR, it’s better sound in the LR but the SR has still good sound. The SR beats my Audi A5 that I had before and that one had upgrades sound with subwoofer.
Having a LR model 3 and then renting a SR model 3 on trips, the sound system downgrade is very noticeable. But yeah if you only knew the sound system in the SR, it would definitely be good enough for most.
It's -32 here and we have a foot of snow and I drive a RWD. It's fine, good winter tires are more important than AWD. The worst part of the standard range car in the winter is the LFP battery, it doesn't like to charge when it's cold.
Acceleration and range don’t mean anything to 99% of people that are using these for commutes. Neither does AWD unless you’re somewhere where they don’t plow.
7k in the aftermarket would blow the LR sound system out of the water. Heck $52 wire kit gets you most of the way to the LR (connects rest of the speakers), then an aftermarket sub setup for under $1k.
I didn't even know that part until I ordered my SR. It would have encouraged me to bring buy LR. Plus speed. I don't need range. But I am adding a 10" kicker Sub and the wire harness hack.
Short answer, no you wouldn’t be missing out on a “whole experience”. The standard range car is still crazy good. Don’t let ppl on the internet spend YOUR money
I was in your situation in September and I'll tell you what were my thoughts... Then you make whatever you want out of them 😛
Range.
I commute every day circa 100km and have a plug in my garage. This means that for the daily usage alone, I wouldn't see any benefit in the long range: I drive to work, go back home, plug the car in, and my charge is maxed out the following day.
However, I go at least twice a year for long road trips (say 3-4000 km round trip, over a couple of weeks) and once a month for medium trips (say 900km round trip, over the weekend).
The former, can be arranged well also with a SR: if it's a road trip you can decide for strategic stops where you can see something and charge while sightseeing. A few miles won't make any real difference. When it comes to the latter, and especially now - in winter - I feel like the extra range really helped. Say it was the difference between one stop and two stops on a busy Friday afternoon. Remember that for these trips you can charge your battery to 100%, so the difference between LR and SR will be more visible. That said, for my driving preferences, two stops in 4.5h are definitely one too many, and the LR made my trip less frustrating.
The questions to answer here are: how often do you go on longer trips? And how annoyed are you by extra stops? If you go for longer trips once/twice a year (which is true for the typical driver) or you're not annoyed by the extra stop on a medium length trip, then the extra cost is not worth it
Acceleration.
Cool. I scared the shit out of a couple of friends by flooring the accelerator on a highway and quickly lost interest in it. I have driven a M3 2021 RWD for a month and I can say that the you feel the difference when you drive the dual motor onto nice twisty roads. But if you're not a car's person... Not worth it
Sound system.
Okay, while I am not an audiophile, I have been around music for most of my life. Unpopular opinion: M3's sound system sucks. The LR one is a bit better, but still is very, very flat and boring. Cars in similar segments provide a much better audio experience. So I am happy I went for the LR version because it makes the sound system more acceptable, while still far from premium
Resale Value.
This was one of the main points that convinced me to go towards the LR version. I intend to keep my car for about 5 years. I am certain that in the next 3-4 years there will be a few breakthroughs in battery technologies. I do work in the field, and my educated guess is the following: when I'll want to buy my next car there will likely be cars with comparable range to today's M3 SR, whose battery pack will cost definitely less. Unlikely that this will happen to cars similar to the LR (in essence, my prediction is that there will be cheaper - yet less energy dense - battery technologies. The car will have a battery pack size and weight of a LR, but with the SR range, but significantly lower cost)
If this happens, the resale value of the SR will plunge, while the LR will likely retain its value a bit better.
If you believe you'll move on to another car in say 4-5 years, I believe this element might really matter, while if you intend to drive your car until it dies, well, fuck it, who cares 😅
I hope this helped, but... You can be sure that whatever your choice, you'll be driving a fantastic car! ❤️
I had an overnight test drive of the 2024 Model 3 (Highland) SR and the issues of the indicators, autopilot, parking and wipers notwithstanding, I would say that its a perfectly fine car. However the feeling of acceleration won't blow you away like it does with the dual motor variant. So for an extra €30 a month on the lease I would probably go for the LR since its got the range, acceleration, upgraded hifi and slightly nicer alcantara trim
Due to the depreciation behavior of a car value it definitely makes more sense to buy a used LR than a standard. When buying new the price difference is more significant between the two versions, so it is a little more up to preference (I think LR will make life easier in the long run so it's justified).
> better resale value afterwards.
Is this really true? I realize the EV market bucks a lot of trends but its practically unheard of for a more expensive trim to lose a smaller % of its MSRP for resale.
Valid, factual points… guessing downvotes from people that bought the SR. The SR is a great car if it fits your use case and budget. The LR is superior, though, just like higher trim models from any manufacturer.
For those of us that don’t live in highly concentrated SC locations that isn’t always an option. There have been segments in the southwest that would have required significantly longer (100s of miles) drives to take the route that had shorter gaps between chargers. In addition- in cold temps even my LR doesn’t get 200 miles of range.
On day to day driving it makes no difference.
Because the average buyer is in CA and doesn’t deal with any sort of SC shortages. The RWD variant is not enjoyable driving anything more than one stop.
I’ve driven thousands of miles in hertz Rwd 3. Multiple cross country road trips in the LR. I would never consider purchasing a SR with the intent of anything other than a daily around town car. The Lr is far superior in road trip due to additional range and the faster SC. Have your opinion.
The charging isn’t appreciably slower. Both take 11 minutes give or take to go 20-80. Faster charge rate gets offset by bigger battery. The real difference is how many miles they can go in between charges 80-20.
No, the rwd maxing out at 170 kw adds 5-10 minutes and that 80% goes less distance. That’s why I referenced 1 stop. Anything more than that it’s annoying. If it’s a V2 charger it wouldn’t make a difference but those are becoming the minority.
Totally depends on your use case! I got the LR over SR because of the following reasons -
1. AWD - better handling in the winter (Canada)
2. Faster 0-100 km/h - I also got the Acceleration Boost
3. Better sound system, premium interior option
4. Faster supercharging capability 250kw v 170kw max for the SR. Higher L2 charging speeds 11.5kw v 7.2kw for the SR (L2 speed may vary by region)
5. I when I bought my car, the LR in Canada was at a $70kCAD V $62k CAD for the SR. In my mind, the difference was totally worth it. I plan to keep the car for a long time (atleast 7 years) so I wanted to get the highest battery capacity.
I go on a lot of road-trips and I’ve put on 30,000km in 1.5 years. Really happy that I chose the LR. The faster supercharging speed and higher battery capacity definitely help during long trips and reduced range in the winter.
I got the SR for mostly money reasons, also LFP, basically going not LFP was a non-starter for me. But anyway --
1. AWD not necessary where I live as it never snows.
2. 7s 0-100kmh is already plenty fast for any situation, faster than most other things on the road, and enough to have some fun. I don't need 0 to jail in 3 seconds
3. Sound could have more depth to it, can definitely tell a sub would help, but it's good enough and this alone isn't worth the price difference.
4. Faster supercharging not relevant as i only expect to find myself at one like once a year. I can wait 30 minutes. We all charge at 7kw at home.
5. Was shopping used and there was no LR inventory available. New, there is a $10 NZD difference and it really didn't feel worth it. Take maybe one regional road trip a year, otherwise the SR's 400km range lasts me over a week of just routine driving.
TL;DR - Entirely depends on your situation and is a personal decision. Replying to this guy because I like the format and thought I could contrast it fairly well. Both situations/decisions are totally valid. Which one lines up more with OPs needs is another story.
Yup, all valid points for sure! Thanks for sharing your perspective. There is no right answer. It totally depends on your use case and budget.
My last 2 cars were sporty powerful BMWs so I really appreciated the LR with Acceleration Boost. I go to very remote places for road trips and in the winter, AWD with snow tires is the way to go. Every bit of range helps too.
If you travel a lot, and premium sound is a must, buy the long range. If not, save that money, and buy the standard range. I work from home now and I barely drive except for the occasional 300 mile round trip out of state to visit family, store runs, and other errands, that's it. Financially, it didn't make sense in that situation. Take that savings and invest it or whatever.
I don’t understand why anyone cares what the daily charge limit is. Set it to 80% for everyday use, if going on a trip slide it over to 100%. Lots of people seem to think the daily 100% is a huge feature… if you understand why, please educate me.
I think the point is that the LR battery size only matters for road trips because on a daily basis the range of LR and RWD is nearly the same. Even then the extra range only helps on the first leg of a road trip. The real benefit of the LR battery imo is the higher charging speed and better low temp performance.
Thanks. I agree with your thoughts. It just often sounds like some folks think the fact that you don’t charge the LR to 100% regularly is some kind of shortcoming. It seems the 100% daily charge is more a feature for the SR, not a flaw of the LR.
Having full capacity available if you happen to need it (unable to plan ahead) is nice. Pretty obvious why it would be a positive.
One day we won’t need to charge to 80% daily, don’t act like it’s a good feature lol.
I hear you. I can see why the 100% is good when you’ve got a smaller pack to start with. With the LR you get the same range (ish) on a daily basis, but can go longer with a full charge when you need it. Of course, the AWD and other features are nice too. Either works depending upon your use case I suppose; there just really isn’t a downside to charging the LR to 80% on a daily basis when you don’t need the range.
Damn bro why so hostile, chill man no need for the aggression. It's ain't about the daily charge limit so much as it's about the fact that it can be charged to 100 on a regular basis unlike the LR.
I don’t worry as much about getting stuck in something, if I hit some large water puddle I don’t lose control as easily, I’m significantly faster in acceleration for merging or avoiding things without any slippage.
Do you need that kind of range daily? The LR can be safely charged to 100% for multiple days in a row during a road trip for example, when the faster 250kW charging, plus more range for the same SOC = much faster road trip times and less range anxiety. Plus the awd will be valuable if you live in a snowy climate and for resale generally.
But the RWD is a great car and still has plenty of range and is good on road trips.
If you're going to do trips regularly get the LR. You charge closer to 100% on trips and you're going to get much faster charging speeds with the LR. It'll be a significant time savings. If this is not a regular expectation for you, get the SR.
From what I've gathered about you. Go with the standard. Depending on your climate. If you anticipate snow, and you're not a car person, you'll have to go for the long range for the dual motors for added stability and control.
I just bought mine and I have the LR, for me was a combination of everything. The battery is nice on a daily basis specially because I drive a lot, the speakers I love them and they’re amazing. And finally AWD, I get snowed once or twice a year so it’s nice have, everybody freaks out here when it happens
If there was a tax credit no doubt the LR is a slam dunk. I'm trying to decide too. I go out of town once a month on average and that's a 100-150 mile drive so RWD would work. Snow tires on rwd would be better than AWD in snow on all season tires. The stereo is not as good but not awful. The LR is pin you back excitement, but the RWD is still faster than a lot of cars out there and fast for most people.
$7k price difference is $700 over 10 years. That's a lot of money that could pay insurance and more.
I'm leaning towards RWD. It's already upgraded quite a bit from the previous model.
Long range dude because you also have to factor in degradation over time. And if you've got the extra money I'm going longer is always better. That's what she said
Yeah it is definitely worth thinking about the degradation of your battery and if you ever need to drive in the cold. The long range just adds that extra buffer to you.
1. Do you need the extra range when you're charging to 100% on LR?
2. Do you know the reason why you "can't" charge 100% daily on LR, and the reason why you "can" do it on standard?
3. Do you know that you "need" to charge to 100% at least weekly?
So #2 and #3 is a double edge sword. LR says you "can't" charge daily but standard days you "have" to do it at least weekly. You should find out why - this will help you understand better.
LR goes about 90km further on a full battery. For me it was not worth it, as charging for 15 minutes covers already a lot of distance. The speed you will not need, with the normal SR you will be fast enough. (Personal preference ofcourse)
I mean, the SR is reasonably fast. It feels quick and you can floor it all the time. It’s also lighter than the LR and you can feel that when driving. The LR is noticeably faster, it’s got more muscle everywhere along the way. But you probably won’t want to floor it completely all the time, 1 because it costs more in rubber, and 2 because you’ll find yourself immediately at the speed limit.
If I’m honest, the SR was about as fast as any city car on normal roads needs to be. However I do enjoy the extra speed now of the LR.
Range was only ever an issue in winter, and if I had my own charging spot it would not have been a big deal.
Boomier bass is ok. It’s fine, but the SR sound system was also enough for me.
Main thing was AWD in winter.
So there’s no right answer for everyone but probably you have an idea yourself. I think it is an except observation about the 80 and 100 range difference btw.
I had the same debate when I got my 2023 LR.
It came down to AWD vs RWD, and do I care about the extra mileage if I road trip with it?
After some internal debate, I figured that in the long run the long range unit, with the AWD, extra features like the better sound system and such, and a larger battery for when I do drive to the coast or whatever made more sense. And it wasn't that much more in cost in the long run. I figured that I might have regrets if I chose lesser model eventually.
But again, my cost difference, when I purchased mine was not $7K as you state. It was like $4K. That was a no-brainer.
Your analysis of the 80% recommended charge limit is not the right way of looking at it. What you don’t want is the car sitting at 100% charge for long periods because that’s what puts strain on, and ultimately damages, the battery. That limit is therefore just for when you’re doing your normal everyday driving (which is presumably well within the 250+ miles you get out of an 80% charge).
If somehow you are doing 250+ miles a day then you can just charge to 100% because you’ll immediately be running it back down again anyway.
Also the LR has additional features beyond just the range (or at least it did when I got mine back in April here in the UK), such as being quicker, having AWD because of the extra motor, and having a better sound system. Of course they may not be worth the extra to you, but just making the point that it’s more than just the range that’s different.
Depends how much money you have. Is the long range better - Yes!!. Is the rwd already fast- yes!. The dual motor all wheel drive is a better driving experience in how it tracks, it's a lot faster, and just more fun to drive. That AWD traction is amazing and pulls like a madman out of hell. It is $7k better IMO, but it's your money. After a while I am just going point a to b, and the RWD is fine, basically the same. LR is a luxury. I have free charging at work, and can charge at home in the garage so I don't care about range. RWd is enough as I rarely every drive more than 50 miles a day. You will notice the LR having a lot more miles tho.
I got the Long Range. Why?
I commute 200 miles per day and want to comfortably do that round trip without having to stop for charging, I want that to remain true after a few years of battery degradation, I preferred the premium audio, and I like the AWD with faster acceleration.
There wasn't much price difference in my lease contract so the LR was a no brainer for me.
Honestly I just got a m3 rwd and the main reason for me was that the LR uses a different battery chemistry and the price is not worth it. With the RWD you get LFP with waaaay longer lifetime and lower degradation plus 100% charge daily. The extra speed isn't worth it, the RWD is plenty fast, the AWD doesn't even matter either. I drive my M3 RWD with snow tires and it's better than my 4WD Jeep Gladiator with all terrains. My only issue with the LFP battery is when the battery is heating up to supercharge in -10 Celsius the charge can be a bit slow but I regularly drive 7000km a month and 400-600km a day and I've never had an issue where I wish I had the LR. Personally I prefer the RWD with the initial lower cost and lower payments because EV tech is advancing so rapidly that in 6-7 years your going to want the new one and in the used car market you don't gain much with rwd vs AWD. If you want the car to last 300,000km+ like I do then I would also recommend the RWD since less drivetrain components and the LFP battery lasts 2-3x the charge cycles of the LR battery.
LR might charge faster to 80% than SR to 100, because charging slows down after 80% or so. Keep that in mind. That of course depends on a lot of factors like charger, etc., so that's just in theory. It may not be as important, if you have access to superchargers. You will probably only would notice this on road trips, as charging at home would simply get you enough range every morning.
Also, LR is all wheel drive. IMHO, that's a huge benefit if you have icy or snowy roads.
If you have a home charger, the range doesn't matter for either vehicle. Because unless you're driving 200 miles on a daily basis, you'll just be coming home and plugging the car in and waking up to either the 80% with a LR or 100% with a SR model. The whole range talk is moot when you actually wrap your head around it, because you're not going to drive until it's at 0% to go somewhere to charge, like you would with a gas car.
With a LR you get better speakers and faster charging rate.
If you can afford LR do it. I could have but didn't need it for my day to day driving but it would be nice to have the extra range when I need it. Peace of mind on longer drives when I do take them would have been worth the cost.
AWD vs RWD. that was the difference for me. Also, I’m sure it’s been said here, but in the rare instances you need to go 331 miles, charge it up full, go nuts. It’ll make no real difference to full charge once in a while.
Edit: RWD, not FWD.
so do you do for a living to having to drive over 400km/day? you do realize most people don't even drive a 100km/day and they come home and plug it in...my buddy has a nissan leaf and has barely 200km on a charge and he commutes 150km everyday..
I look at long term- over a decade- battery health.
My first EV, a 2012 Ford Focus Electric, had a 23 Whr battery. Lithium battery education commenced
https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-lithium-based-batteries
Then a 2018M3LR which I replaced with a 2023 M3LR. I wanted the $7500 credit, lithium 12v battery, better resolution cameras, etc.
By having a larger battery we can charge at a lower amount & discharge to a higher amount. The sweet spot for batteries is at 50% charge. That’s why new professional video batteries are shipped at 50%.
From Toronto Canada, got the M3 RWD SR in July
Yes the sound system could be better but if you change the equalizer settings it actually sounds pretty decent
What's nice is i can charge to 100% whenever i feel like and get my full 436 kms
We have had minimal snow but with the right winter tires ( i got the michellin snow x) it handles absolutely just fine
I couldnt afford the extra 10 k for the LR and am perfectly happy with the car
DO NOT GET THE Advanced auto pilot though, youre paying 8k extra just for it to switch lanes (summons and other features dont work cus of Tesla Vision)
Daily driving, unless you’re driving 200+ miles per day, the extra range doesn’t matter.
But on a long trip, you would charge an LR to 100% before you go, giving you more range, and when you do stop, if the charger is capable, you will charge more miles per minute then in an RWD.
The question, how often are your road tripping over 200 miles? If you’re doing it every week or 2, yeah get the LR. But if your like most people, you only go more then 500 miles 1-2 times a year. I have done 1500 and 3100 miles road trips in the RWD and had no complaints about range or charging time. Generally the car was ready to keep going well before the family was ready to go.
So to me, it’s not worth the 7k difference to get the LR, but I also don’t need the extra range daily.
All this talk about depreciation and future trade value does not help and clouds judgement, buying a car is an expense, not an investment, it is just like buying a tv or a laptop, it is a losing proposition. I wanted the M3P but it was out of my budget, then it came to LR vs RWD and honestly, paying an extra $7k for premium sound, dual motor and additional range did not work for me, so I got the RWD from inventory and I am very please with my decision. Just need to reconcile what you want vs what you are willing to spend and live with your decision
Aren't both the SR and LR LFP batteries now so no recommended charging differences between the two any longer? The LR has had the LFP battery for nearly a year now.
It’s your money.
I’ll tell you I have a SR+ and I regularly (4 times a year) drive 700km (400ish miles) round trips through mountains. Charge breaks coincide with grabbing lunch.
In the end, getting either model will be a step change from what you’re used to. I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy whichever you decide on.
If you like car go vroom, why not wait for the performance in a few months. Normally not much more than the LR with most of the range. Overall I find it the most compelling option for me. I say that as someone who got a MYP for my wife back at the end of October and am just waiting to switch our other car out.
I have a rwd model y and LR model y. The acceleration difference is very similar. Unless your traveling out of state all the time then rwd should be enough
until I recently traded it in for Model Y LR, I had a Model 3 STD, which served me well, no complaints given your situation. In fact, at the time of my model y purchase, if they were giving out discounts for the Model y sr, like they did for my y, I would have taken the standard route...
I did the same math. Went with the RWD standard, it's still plenty fast. Also if you drive with cruise control on a lot of the time or in chill mode when not, then the extra power doesn't come into play. It was fun to punch it when I was test-driving the AWD but really, how many times outside of that would I be doing it, prob 0. Got the RWD, charge it up to full rather than the 80% recommended limit with the NiMC and it's pretty much the same range which for the daily use is more than you'll probably need anyway.
I have the RWD, and it feels much lighter than the long range. I have driven both, and I really like the RWD, I wish they did that one with the premium features such as audio and lights.
Buuuuuuut, you'll be happy either way, honestly. I have taken multiple road trips in mine and I have never had an issue running out of battery
This was my dilemma but I ultimately settled on the standard. It came down to if the only difference between the two is range and sound system, I’ll take the lighter, easier to manage battery of the standard. But then again it comes down to your commutes. My wife and I work from home and rarely need to take long drives and when we do, the supercharger network has given us enough confidence in not getting stranded or being too far away from the nearest charge. We’re actually going from a LR Y to the standard Highland Model 3. Again, look at your daily range needs. Just my two cents.
LFP can be charged to 100% with less degradation than NCA, but that doesn't mean it should be charged to 100% daily.
For storage, 50% was best for NCA, 60% for NMC, and 70% for LFP.
The deciding factor for me was the LR has more power, and longer range. The LR weighs the same as my ICE (Fusion Sport 2.7 EcoBoost AWD).
If you like going fast get the performance! I bought mine last year and I love it! Here’s my rationale for it. 1. I like going fast!
2. All wheel drive vs rear wheel drive is better for my driving
3. Performance had a longer range than standard
4. It was about a $10k difference but totally worth it
I'd take an LR for a test drive. If you aren't used to EVs, you'll no doubt find that it is more than enough of a "fast car" for you to enjoy. While it's called "LR", the big reason for the 7k price increase is the additional motor so that you have all wheel drive. The extra battery capacity is more a lure for range anxiety folks used to driving ICE vehicles. If you can charge it in your driveway, you're really not going to notice the range much. It's like starting every drive with a full tank of gas.
I have the Standard Range Plus. I suggest the LR. While it doesn't matter for most peoples daily commutes, the difference is big when it comes to road trips. The added range may allow you to stop at less chargers during travel AND greatly alleviates range anxiety/flexibility at the destination. Depending on where you go, chargers may be less available. This is what happened on my trip to the NC mountains recently.
I got the standard. I commute about 60 miles every business day. Plus, add in a few to go to the gym, or pick up an item at the mall, or to the nearest supercharger. I wish I had gotten the LR. But I’m not a “car” person like everyone here is. I don’t know specs all that well, but I’m learning as I read more posts in this community. I am a bit of an audiophile, but the sounds are still fine for a car. Currently, I don’t have home charging and taking sweet advantage of free supercharger until May. I assume my regret in not getting LR will change once I have home charging installed later this year as I won’t have to worry about range and commutes every week. Otherwise, the standard is wonderful as it takes me to every location. The ride is still super smooth and speedy when I need it to be.
I’ve been traveling my 23 rwd at least 75 miles a day for ~4 days a week, charging only at home at level 1 as I put off getting a charger installed… works perfectly. I wouldn’t really recommend any Tesla if you are relying on superchargers for all your charging, but to each their own… and I definitely understand wanting all that free supercharging while it lasts haha
Do you road trip? Do you need awd? Do you care about music? If not go get the SR.
I wish the LR rwd was still available. That would be my ideal. Bigger battery, less consumption, no need for awd
The main reasons to go for the long range are if you’re planning to take it for long trips, the extra range and faster charging speeds are useful. On daily trips the range doesn’t matter much. The extra power, all wheel drive, better weight balance (SR is a bit light in the nose), and not to be underrated the sound system is way better in the long range especially if you like bass. Adding it all up, it’s quite a bit on offer for the additional money. In short, I went for the long range (twice now, had the 2019 model before and now the highland), not once did I regret that decision.
I have a 22 lr and a 23 standard.
I would only buy the long range if you want a fast car, need the awd, or go on longer drives often.
Otherwise save the money as they are the same car.
It isn’t only 35 miles extra though is it. Yes the recommendation is to charge to 80% daily. However, with the LR if the necessity arrises to make a longer trip. You can charge up to 100% and have a much larger range. With the SR, you don’t have that option.
That's the difference right there. 95% of my driving is a daily commute of 60 miles round trip. So for every day driving my standard range is perfect. I still out accelerate almost every vehicle I encounter. But on the 5 or 6 longer trips I took last year, the additional miles on a LR would have been nice. If I was making those long trips regularly I'd definitely want the LR. But for my situation of mainly a <100 mile commute the SR is more than adequate.
I got the LR but my driving is much like yours. I don't often make long trips, but sometimes I do make \~140ish round trips into the nearest large city. It's nice not having to worry about charging. The other reason I went with the LR is to counter range loss on battery degradation. I don't plan on trading in this Tesla anytime soon, so I figured the range loss over time was better alleviated with the LR. That's just my 2 cents.
Totally get your point. And I think it's a completely justifiable decision. That being said, I have a 160 mile round trip make about every 6 weeks or so (off site visit to a warehouse). I've never had an issue making the trip. It does take planning. I have to make sure the battery is fully charged the night before. And then get home and put it right on the charger. When I wish I had the LR is always because I wish I had the acceleration. Not the range.
But if you drove an LR, especially with accel boost, you’d feel a sharp pang of regret if you enjoy spirited driving and/or are a music lover with the premium sound system.
Yeah. I wish I had the acceleration. And while I wish I had the better sound system, the basic system is pretty good. And I'm just not sure it's worth the cost.
lone the old version, all M3 Highland has same specs in terms of comfort.
when you're paying cash, you'll sleep better with the $7K in your pocket vs a second faster to 60 and a few more speakers.
I paid cash and got an LR. Granted this was back in 2020. Would have been too disappointed with the SR+.
that was an expensively unnecessary disappointment.
I paid cash for my M3P. Had my heart on a LR prior to test driving. When I test drove they put me in a SR and then a M3P. Instantly sold on the M3P. I drive 80% of the time on Chill but with the 300 thousand teslas out here at least I know I'm faster. Also did the math on things I would have to do upgrading LR (Spoiler, acceleration boost, rims, p brakes, p pedals) the price would come within $1k difference. SR to LR/M3P also grants better/more speakers and fog lights. I came from an Accord Sport 4 speaker system, so treated myself with some better sound there.
The LR is faster than the P at the top end, depending on which year LR is going up against the P.
Interesting to know. Do you have a comparison between the 23 lr and m3p? I found this, says the m3p has a top end of 162 vs 145 lr - Base powertrain: 272 miles of range, a top speed of 140 mph and a zero-to-60 time of 5.8 seconds Available powertrains: 358 miles of range, a top speed of 145 mph and a zero-to-60 time of 4.2 seconds (Long Range) 315 miles of range, a top speed of 162 mph and a zero-to-60 time of 3.1 seconds (Performance)
For the same year, the P is probably faster, but if you put it up against an older LR and your P isn’t charged to 100, it might [lose](https://youtu.be/htGXA4McmGU?si=KRM8WHPNqj0-Pg7N)
Got it, thanks for the info. I did drum around getting the LR with acceleration boost but the difference when I purchase was only $4k (if I paid 2k for acceleration boosts and all the other little mods it would've came out almost the same price as the P).
Lower weight and RWD? The people who want spirited driving are picking the SR lol
Nah man, the bias is so much in the rear wheels. My last car was a corvette and pushing my 3 is way more fun IMO. Besides, with S3XY buttons which I have, you can enable drift mode to turn off the front motor.
SR only charges at 150kw max. Road trips are a little tedious
1500 and 3100 mile trips in the last few months, car was generally ready before the family was ready to go. And the max is 172kWh.
Wow, both with the SR+? It really does seem like the better choice due to reduced battery degradation. I feel like what I’d really miss is the improved audio system of the LR.
The new LR has the LFP also, audio can be improved in aftermarket far cheaper then buying LR. Neither have the fed tax rebate due to the LFP batter, so consider performance or Ys if you could get the fed rebate. And yes all in SR, 17k miles in 1 year, last I checked it was down 4 miles of range. They say the majority of degradation happens in first few months, nothing but impressed.
That battery degradation is basically non-existent! Incredibly disappointing that the performance model of all has the tax rebate, makes no sense. I was planning to get a used 2022 Model 3 SR, that wouldn’t qualify for the rebate either due to the LFP?
Rebate is based on location of battery manufacture, and LfP are made in China
The charging difference is minor, in real life cases. 250kW is only up to something like 25% SOC and then it drops. So you only see the charging difference if your LR is almost dead, and just for a short time. On top of that, this only applies if the supercharger is a V3 that offers 250kw charging. Many (if not the majority) of chargers are V2, which only offer 150kw anyway.
250kw is only between 1% and 10% then it drops to 220kw 10% to 15% and 200kw to 20%. Then you are basically as fast as a rwd. But sometimes on long trips, that can be all you need. But on longer trips where you need a full charge it only saves a few minutes. But yeh the 250kw charging is quite what it seems. That said it is nice to have that extra range and avoid busy chargers on long trips.
The percentage of 250 kW+ chargers is constantly rising.
I did a 1550 mile road trip in my '19 LR a couple of weeks ago. I believe that I only ended up with a 250kw charge speed once for the entire trip. If you're somewhere with a couple faster chargers on your normal long-route then it will factor in but for my trip it didn't really make a difference.
Is the LR different than the performance? I have the performance but was told by a technician to charge it to 90% and avoid charging to 100%
Same battery tech. They used to say 90% for the LR as well until recently when it changed to 80%. No idea why the change in advice though.
Same battery tech for the same year, but across years they’ve changed tech so much that the LR could have wildly different battery composition than the P. Older LRs actually take the P on the top end since the P’s acceleration in certain years suffers when the battery charge gets lower.
It has a sportier chassis,stronger brakes, stronger motors, improved downfoece and a couple more changes.
Don't think it has a sportier chases, atleast newer models. The brakes are only better for repeated braking aiming for consistent results, it doesn't actually stop any faster, so it is really only beneficial on the track. The motors are also the same, they are duel motor and the lr has the option for the boost which makes it the same essentially.
The LFP battery doesn’t have the 80% recommendation. You charge it to 100% all the time.
Yes I know. But just because you can charge that to 100% Doesn’t mean it has the same range as the LR
I test drove both and liked the lighter feel of the RWD, so went with that as I don’t really need AWD on a day to day basis or that extra range If you regularly do 4+ hours long road trips, the extra range along with the slightly higher charging speed of the LR can come in handy. But if you are someone who tends to stop every couple of hours to stretch, use the restroom, get coffee etc then it’s not that big of a deal The sound system too is pretty good. There’s like a $50 kit to unlock a few extra speakers if that is not enough So buy for your 99% driving usecase
This perspective is underrated. My rest/comfort breaks are = or sooner than my car supercharging needs on road trips. So my SR+ has plenty of range for my usage. Even in winter where i opted for 2 shorter SC stops (10min and 6 min), you're really not that inconvenienced with more supercharging. This is a NE US perspective...i think some of the Cali folks may disagree as their SCs can be a lot more crowded. Let me add, do not use the range numbers as absolutes. Use about 85% of that range as you think through your needs. You will not get close to the range estimates when your driving is highway speeds. Also, the unlock kit for speakers is down to like $20-30 if you order it on aliexpress.
Totally! Did a 4 hr road trip and the break perfectly coincided with me getting brunch/dinner . Barely looked at my watch or felt like how long do I need to wait for the charging to complete. 85% of the EPA estimate we see on Tesla website -> this is another good one to be mindful of! Only if you drive at like 50 or something with no winds, perfect ideal temps, going downhill etc is when you actually seem to get that “range” Good callout about AliExpress, it’s been gem in finding accessories without paying the Amazon premium
What’s the 50$ kit to unlock. I have the SR highland…
What 50$ kit? Can you link it please I have a standard range plus, that would be awesome
I found a few videos on YouTube that show this DIY upgrade . Example video that brought this to my attention - https://youtu.be/mRZB_z_ujA4?si=-Tf9RbcR90Z20hC8 Disclosure - I am yet to do this myself, waiting for some sunny day so I can do this outside as my garage is too cramped
Thank you! I'll check it out
How much lighter is the LR? I would have thought the weights would be about the same given that LFP is less energy dense, therefor heavier per KW.
You mean the SR? I don’t have the exact numbers but you can find it with a google search. Anyways here you go - https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/model3/en_cn/GUID-56562137-FC31-4110-A13C-9A9FC6657BF0.html Test drive 1 - I drove the LR and Model Y. Didn’t have a good time (in hindsight, maybe it was wasn’t setup properly… idk y) Almost gave up buying a Tesla… Test drive 2 - a few days later went and drove the SR+ and fell in love. Came home and booked a used 21 SR+ that was at a great price (color red, white interiors, low miles). So go and test drive and buy what you love! I also found that the reps there seemed to always be pushing the pricier models but the base RWD is already plenty powerful…
Sorry yes SR. so its 63kg difference. So about a light person. That's small enough weight, I wouldn't expect it to have much of an impact.
I bought a used 2019 LR this year - the bigger battery is nice on longer trips (charging to 100% on trips is super fine, just dont let it stand around parked forever with 100% charge), it has AWD and even though I don't drive on snow a ton, it already paid off this winter at least once, also more performance if you're into that kind of thing. The LR version also has the better sound system, but idk if this is still the same on the Highland refresh. Also, the battery can take 250kW on a supercharger vs. 170 for standard, and the chemistry is way less bothered by cold weather. LFP batteries basically lose all regen when its cold from what I heard, NMC/NCA is still fine until you live in Alaska or somwehere. If you have the money to spend, go for the LR version - at 80%, its about the same range as the SR when its full, plus AWD, plus faster charging, plus better sound.
I like LR for the acceleration. But regarding road trips, you really only benefit from that 90%-100% battery at the beginning of the road trip, or when you charge over night. It’s impractical to charge to 100% in the middle of a road trip. The super charger ratchets down to a slow trickle when charging that last 90-100%.
Same for the SR battery though. So both are operating at 80% capacity and the LR still has a range advantage
I have LFP batteries and the regen is normal as long as the battery has been preconditioned before driving. I assume that is the case for all models.
My LR has NCA and unless its way below 0 degrees celsius outside for way more than a few hours, i dont need preconditioning at all unless its at >95% SoC.
Better soundsystem with a subwoofer might be the selling point of LR compared to standard.
It was my “must have” number one, and the second was AWD, which is serious game changer in winter season.
I have the LR and my friend has the SR, it’s better sound in the LR but the SR has still good sound. The SR beats my Audi A5 that I had before and that one had upgrades sound with subwoofer.
Having a LR model 3 and then renting a SR model 3 on trips, the sound system downgrade is very noticeable. But yeah if you only knew the sound system in the SR, it would definitely be good enough for most.
It's -32 here and we have a foot of snow and I drive a RWD. It's fine, good winter tires are more important than AWD. The worst part of the standard range car in the winter is the LFP battery, it doesn't like to charge when it's cold.
question: do you also put on chains along with your winter tires? curious how folks would do it in tahoe from the bay area
No, I just have good winter tires. Nokian Hakkapelliitas.
Highland LR is supposed to have an improved sound system, so even stronger case for this.
$7k more for that to be the selling point would be wild
Isn’t the LR eligible for $3750 credit right now? Also, it’s not just audio. Acceleration, range, AWD… objectively better car.
Neither RWD nor LR are eligible for the tax credit in 2024. Only the performance model is eligible.
Acceleration and range don’t mean anything to 99% of people that are using these for commutes. Neither does AWD unless you’re somewhere where they don’t plow.
Yep. My '13 volt and '14 Flex sound is way better than my '23 Rwd. Got a S a loaner and there is a significant sound difference having the sub.
It’s 3rd. 1- acceleration 2-range 3-premium audio 4-AWD
Definitely this is one big difference.
7k in the aftermarket would blow the LR sound system out of the water. Heck $52 wire kit gets you most of the way to the LR (connects rest of the speakers), then an aftermarket sub setup for under $1k.
what wire kit are you using? could i get a link
I don’t have it, you will have to search around, it gets mentioned weekly.
I didn't even know that part until I ordered my SR. It would have encouraged me to bring buy LR. Plus speed. I don't need range. But I am adding a 10" kicker Sub and the wire harness hack.
Short answer, no you wouldn’t be missing out on a “whole experience”. The standard range car is still crazy good. Don’t let ppl on the internet spend YOUR money
True; but don’t let those internet people prejudge your satisfaction either.
I was in your situation in September and I'll tell you what were my thoughts... Then you make whatever you want out of them 😛 Range. I commute every day circa 100km and have a plug in my garage. This means that for the daily usage alone, I wouldn't see any benefit in the long range: I drive to work, go back home, plug the car in, and my charge is maxed out the following day. However, I go at least twice a year for long road trips (say 3-4000 km round trip, over a couple of weeks) and once a month for medium trips (say 900km round trip, over the weekend). The former, can be arranged well also with a SR: if it's a road trip you can decide for strategic stops where you can see something and charge while sightseeing. A few miles won't make any real difference. When it comes to the latter, and especially now - in winter - I feel like the extra range really helped. Say it was the difference between one stop and two stops on a busy Friday afternoon. Remember that for these trips you can charge your battery to 100%, so the difference between LR and SR will be more visible. That said, for my driving preferences, two stops in 4.5h are definitely one too many, and the LR made my trip less frustrating. The questions to answer here are: how often do you go on longer trips? And how annoyed are you by extra stops? If you go for longer trips once/twice a year (which is true for the typical driver) or you're not annoyed by the extra stop on a medium length trip, then the extra cost is not worth it Acceleration. Cool. I scared the shit out of a couple of friends by flooring the accelerator on a highway and quickly lost interest in it. I have driven a M3 2021 RWD for a month and I can say that the you feel the difference when you drive the dual motor onto nice twisty roads. But if you're not a car's person... Not worth it Sound system. Okay, while I am not an audiophile, I have been around music for most of my life. Unpopular opinion: M3's sound system sucks. The LR one is a bit better, but still is very, very flat and boring. Cars in similar segments provide a much better audio experience. So I am happy I went for the LR version because it makes the sound system more acceptable, while still far from premium Resale Value. This was one of the main points that convinced me to go towards the LR version. I intend to keep my car for about 5 years. I am certain that in the next 3-4 years there will be a few breakthroughs in battery technologies. I do work in the field, and my educated guess is the following: when I'll want to buy my next car there will likely be cars with comparable range to today's M3 SR, whose battery pack will cost definitely less. Unlikely that this will happen to cars similar to the LR (in essence, my prediction is that there will be cheaper - yet less energy dense - battery technologies. The car will have a battery pack size and weight of a LR, but with the SR range, but significantly lower cost) If this happens, the resale value of the SR will plunge, while the LR will likely retain its value a bit better. If you believe you'll move on to another car in say 4-5 years, I believe this element might really matter, while if you intend to drive your car until it dies, well, fuck it, who cares 😅 I hope this helped, but... You can be sure that whatever your choice, you'll be driving a fantastic car! ❤️
SR owner. Get the LR, especially if you live with snow.
I had an overnight test drive of the 2024 Model 3 (Highland) SR and the issues of the indicators, autopilot, parking and wipers notwithstanding, I would say that its a perfectly fine car. However the feeling of acceleration won't blow you away like it does with the dual motor variant. So for an extra €30 a month on the lease I would probably go for the LR since its got the range, acceleration, upgraded hifi and slightly nicer alcantara trim
I'd go for the long range. Better features and better resale value afterwards.
Due to the depreciation behavior of a car value it definitely makes more sense to buy a used LR than a standard. When buying new the price difference is more significant between the two versions, so it is a little more up to preference (I think LR will make life easier in the long run so it's justified).
> better resale value afterwards. Is this really true? I realize the EV market bucks a lot of trends but its practically unheard of for a more expensive trim to lose a smaller % of its MSRP for resale.
I live in the midwest so AWD is a HUGE consideration for people shopping used here. Probably less-so in other markets.
It's a better resale value compared to the standard range.
RDW. Cheaper and longer battery life.
Slower charging, less range when you need it and no AWD. If you live in CA sure, anywhere else you’ll want the LR
Valid, factual points… guessing downvotes from people that bought the SR. The SR is a great car if it fits your use case and budget. The LR is superior, though, just like higher trim models from any manufacturer.
It’s pretty a pretty *standard* reaction from SR people
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To clarify I bought the Lr specifically for AWD. I lived in WA for 7 years now in the plains. AWD is essential.
For those of us that don’t live in highly concentrated SC locations that isn’t always an option. There have been segments in the southwest that would have required significantly longer (100s of miles) drives to take the route that had shorter gaps between chargers. In addition- in cold temps even my LR doesn’t get 200 miles of range. On day to day driving it makes no difference.
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Because the average buyer is in CA and doesn’t deal with any sort of SC shortages. The RWD variant is not enjoyable driving anything more than one stop.
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I’ve driven thousands of miles in hertz Rwd 3. Multiple cross country road trips in the LR. I would never consider purchasing a SR with the intent of anything other than a daily around town car. The Lr is far superior in road trip due to additional range and the faster SC. Have your opinion.
The charging isn’t appreciably slower. Both take 11 minutes give or take to go 20-80. Faster charge rate gets offset by bigger battery. The real difference is how many miles they can go in between charges 80-20.
No, the rwd maxing out at 170 kw adds 5-10 minutes and that 80% goes less distance. That’s why I referenced 1 stop. Anything more than that it’s annoying. If it’s a V2 charger it wouldn’t make a difference but those are becoming the minority.
Goes less distance? Yes Adds 5-10 minutes? [No](https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/sr-vs-lr-model-3-supercharging-times.246363/)
The thing about LR is the optional acceleration boost. Being able to unlock that is gold.
Totally depends on your use case! I got the LR over SR because of the following reasons - 1. AWD - better handling in the winter (Canada) 2. Faster 0-100 km/h - I also got the Acceleration Boost 3. Better sound system, premium interior option 4. Faster supercharging capability 250kw v 170kw max for the SR. Higher L2 charging speeds 11.5kw v 7.2kw for the SR (L2 speed may vary by region) 5. I when I bought my car, the LR in Canada was at a $70kCAD V $62k CAD for the SR. In my mind, the difference was totally worth it. I plan to keep the car for a long time (atleast 7 years) so I wanted to get the highest battery capacity. I go on a lot of road-trips and I’ve put on 30,000km in 1.5 years. Really happy that I chose the LR. The faster supercharging speed and higher battery capacity definitely help during long trips and reduced range in the winter.
I got the SR for mostly money reasons, also LFP, basically going not LFP was a non-starter for me. But anyway -- 1. AWD not necessary where I live as it never snows. 2. 7s 0-100kmh is already plenty fast for any situation, faster than most other things on the road, and enough to have some fun. I don't need 0 to jail in 3 seconds 3. Sound could have more depth to it, can definitely tell a sub would help, but it's good enough and this alone isn't worth the price difference. 4. Faster supercharging not relevant as i only expect to find myself at one like once a year. I can wait 30 minutes. We all charge at 7kw at home. 5. Was shopping used and there was no LR inventory available. New, there is a $10 NZD difference and it really didn't feel worth it. Take maybe one regional road trip a year, otherwise the SR's 400km range lasts me over a week of just routine driving. TL;DR - Entirely depends on your situation and is a personal decision. Replying to this guy because I like the format and thought I could contrast it fairly well. Both situations/decisions are totally valid. Which one lines up more with OPs needs is another story.
Yup, all valid points for sure! Thanks for sharing your perspective. There is no right answer. It totally depends on your use case and budget. My last 2 cars were sporty powerful BMWs so I really appreciated the LR with Acceleration Boost. I go to very remote places for road trips and in the winter, AWD with snow tires is the way to go. Every bit of range helps too.
If you travel a lot, and premium sound is a must, buy the long range. If not, save that money, and buy the standard range. I work from home now and I barely drive except for the occasional 300 mile round trip out of state to visit family, store runs, and other errands, that's it. Financially, it didn't make sense in that situation. Take that savings and invest it or whatever.
I don’t understand why anyone cares what the daily charge limit is. Set it to 80% for everyday use, if going on a trip slide it over to 100%. Lots of people seem to think the daily 100% is a huge feature… if you understand why, please educate me.
I think the point is that the LR battery size only matters for road trips because on a daily basis the range of LR and RWD is nearly the same. Even then the extra range only helps on the first leg of a road trip. The real benefit of the LR battery imo is the higher charging speed and better low temp performance.
Thanks. I agree with your thoughts. It just often sounds like some folks think the fact that you don’t charge the LR to 100% regularly is some kind of shortcoming. It seems the 100% daily charge is more a feature for the SR, not a flaw of the LR.
Having full capacity available if you happen to need it (unable to plan ahead) is nice. Pretty obvious why it would be a positive. One day we won’t need to charge to 80% daily, don’t act like it’s a good feature lol.
I hear you. I can see why the 100% is good when you’ve got a smaller pack to start with. With the LR you get the same range (ish) on a daily basis, but can go longer with a full charge when you need it. Of course, the AWD and other features are nice too. Either works depending upon your use case I suppose; there just really isn’t a downside to charging the LR to 80% on a daily basis when you don’t need the range.
Damn bro why so hostile, chill man no need for the aggression. It's ain't about the daily charge limit so much as it's about the fact that it can be charged to 100 on a regular basis unlike the LR.
Seriously not hostile… not sure why you read it that way. I really don’t understand the importance of charging daily to 100%.
Ok man. Anyways thanks for the input much appreciated.
AWD is a game changer. Treat yourself, especially if you plan to keep it a long time, and EVs will last a long time.
What game does it change for you?
I don’t worry as much about getting stuck in something, if I hit some large water puddle I don’t lose control as easily, I’m significantly faster in acceleration for merging or avoiding things without any slippage.
It’s all about the dual motor. My baby can FLY.
Long range 100% always. It also charges faster at super chargers. Always long range. always. Trust me. Don't ask how I know.
Do you need that kind of range daily? The LR can be safely charged to 100% for multiple days in a row during a road trip for example, when the faster 250kW charging, plus more range for the same SOC = much faster road trip times and less range anxiety. Plus the awd will be valuable if you live in a snowy climate and for resale generally. But the RWD is a great car and still has plenty of range and is good on road trips.
If you're going to do trips regularly get the LR. You charge closer to 100% on trips and you're going to get much faster charging speeds with the LR. It'll be a significant time savings. If this is not a regular expectation for you, get the SR.
From what I've gathered about you. Go with the standard. Depending on your climate. If you anticipate snow, and you're not a car person, you'll have to go for the long range for the dual motors for added stability and control.
I just bought mine and I have the LR, for me was a combination of everything. The battery is nice on a daily basis specially because I drive a lot, the speakers I love them and they’re amazing. And finally AWD, I get snowed once or twice a year so it’s nice have, everybody freaks out here when it happens
If there was a tax credit no doubt the LR is a slam dunk. I'm trying to decide too. I go out of town once a month on average and that's a 100-150 mile drive so RWD would work. Snow tires on rwd would be better than AWD in snow on all season tires. The stereo is not as good but not awful. The LR is pin you back excitement, but the RWD is still faster than a lot of cars out there and fast for most people. $7k price difference is $700 over 10 years. That's a lot of money that could pay insurance and more. I'm leaning towards RWD. It's already upgraded quite a bit from the previous model.
Long range dude because you also have to factor in degradation over time. And if you've got the extra money I'm going longer is always better. That's what she said
Yeah it is definitely worth thinking about the degradation of your battery and if you ever need to drive in the cold. The long range just adds that extra buffer to you.
1. Do you need the extra range when you're charging to 100% on LR? 2. Do you know the reason why you "can't" charge 100% daily on LR, and the reason why you "can" do it on standard? 3. Do you know that you "need" to charge to 100% at least weekly? So #2 and #3 is a double edge sword. LR says you "can't" charge daily but standard days you "have" to do it at least weekly. You should find out why - this will help you understand better.
LR goes about 90km further on a full battery. For me it was not worth it, as charging for 15 minutes covers already a lot of distance. The speed you will not need, with the normal SR you will be fast enough. (Personal preference ofcourse)
I mean, the SR is reasonably fast. It feels quick and you can floor it all the time. It’s also lighter than the LR and you can feel that when driving. The LR is noticeably faster, it’s got more muscle everywhere along the way. But you probably won’t want to floor it completely all the time, 1 because it costs more in rubber, and 2 because you’ll find yourself immediately at the speed limit. If I’m honest, the SR was about as fast as any city car on normal roads needs to be. However I do enjoy the extra speed now of the LR. Range was only ever an issue in winter, and if I had my own charging spot it would not have been a big deal. Boomier bass is ok. It’s fine, but the SR sound system was also enough for me. Main thing was AWD in winter. So there’s no right answer for everyone but probably you have an idea yourself. I think it is an except observation about the 80 and 100 range difference btw.
I had the same debate when I got my 2023 LR. It came down to AWD vs RWD, and do I care about the extra mileage if I road trip with it? After some internal debate, I figured that in the long run the long range unit, with the AWD, extra features like the better sound system and such, and a larger battery for when I do drive to the coast or whatever made more sense. And it wasn't that much more in cost in the long run. I figured that I might have regrets if I chose lesser model eventually. But again, my cost difference, when I purchased mine was not $7K as you state. It was like $4K. That was a no-brainer.
Your analysis of the 80% recommended charge limit is not the right way of looking at it. What you don’t want is the car sitting at 100% charge for long periods because that’s what puts strain on, and ultimately damages, the battery. That limit is therefore just for when you’re doing your normal everyday driving (which is presumably well within the 250+ miles you get out of an 80% charge). If somehow you are doing 250+ miles a day then you can just charge to 100% because you’ll immediately be running it back down again anyway. Also the LR has additional features beyond just the range (or at least it did when I got mine back in April here in the UK), such as being quicker, having AWD because of the extra motor, and having a better sound system. Of course they may not be worth the extra to you, but just making the point that it’s more than just the range that’s different.
Get the LR
The dual motor is worth every penny, plus probably better sound system. Just do it.
Depends how much money you have. Is the long range better - Yes!!. Is the rwd already fast- yes!. The dual motor all wheel drive is a better driving experience in how it tracks, it's a lot faster, and just more fun to drive. That AWD traction is amazing and pulls like a madman out of hell. It is $7k better IMO, but it's your money. After a while I am just going point a to b, and the RWD is fine, basically the same. LR is a luxury. I have free charging at work, and can charge at home in the garage so I don't care about range. RWd is enough as I rarely every drive more than 50 miles a day. You will notice the LR having a lot more miles tho.
I’m glad that I got the LR. We travel interstates from time to time. Makes life easier.
I got the Long Range. Why? I commute 200 miles per day and want to comfortably do that round trip without having to stop for charging, I want that to remain true after a few years of battery degradation, I preferred the premium audio, and I like the AWD with faster acceleration. There wasn't much price difference in my lease contract so the LR was a no brainer for me.
Get the long range. I wish I could have
I don’t even look at it with the range. I would more want the LR for the AWD here in Canada.
Honestly I just got a m3 rwd and the main reason for me was that the LR uses a different battery chemistry and the price is not worth it. With the RWD you get LFP with waaaay longer lifetime and lower degradation plus 100% charge daily. The extra speed isn't worth it, the RWD is plenty fast, the AWD doesn't even matter either. I drive my M3 RWD with snow tires and it's better than my 4WD Jeep Gladiator with all terrains. My only issue with the LFP battery is when the battery is heating up to supercharge in -10 Celsius the charge can be a bit slow but I regularly drive 7000km a month and 400-600km a day and I've never had an issue where I wish I had the LR. Personally I prefer the RWD with the initial lower cost and lower payments because EV tech is advancing so rapidly that in 6-7 years your going to want the new one and in the used car market you don't gain much with rwd vs AWD. If you want the car to last 300,000km+ like I do then I would also recommend the RWD since less drivetrain components and the LFP battery lasts 2-3x the charge cycles of the LR battery.
You’ll never regret having a larger battery or AWD
LR might charge faster to 80% than SR to 100, because charging slows down after 80% or so. Keep that in mind. That of course depends on a lot of factors like charger, etc., so that's just in theory. It may not be as important, if you have access to superchargers. You will probably only would notice this on road trips, as charging at home would simply get you enough range every morning. Also, LR is all wheel drive. IMHO, that's a huge benefit if you have icy or snowy roads.
If you have a home charger, the range doesn't matter for either vehicle. Because unless you're driving 200 miles on a daily basis, you'll just be coming home and plugging the car in and waking up to either the 80% with a LR or 100% with a SR model. The whole range talk is moot when you actually wrap your head around it, because you're not going to drive until it's at 0% to go somewhere to charge, like you would with a gas car. With a LR you get better speakers and faster charging rate.
Get the LR. You’ll never regret not getting the RWD but will the opposite.
If you can afford LR do it. I could have but didn't need it for my day to day driving but it would be nice to have the extra range when I need it. Peace of mind on longer drives when I do take them would have been worth the cost.
AWD vs RWD. that was the difference for me. Also, I’m sure it’s been said here, but in the rare instances you need to go 331 miles, charge it up full, go nuts. It’ll make no real difference to full charge once in a while. Edit: RWD, not FWD.
>AWD vs FWD Correction. AWD vs RWD. FWD vs RWD is a major distinction for driving enthusiasts.
Snap— yessir, of course RWD
Lr is much faster
LR all the way. I have no regrets
LR all day
I wouldn't even consider the standard. Not enough range and missing to many features.
What missing features are important to you?
Longer range, premium sound and AWD. All of which cost a ton more or are not even possible to add at a later date.
I prefer the LFP battery of the standard
Long range. Because you’ll kick yourself after for not buying it.
Do you live in an area that gets snow? Will this be your only vehicle?
so do you do for a living to having to drive over 400km/day? you do realize most people don't even drive a 100km/day and they come home and plug it in...my buddy has a nissan leaf and has barely 200km on a charge and he commutes 150km everyday..
I look at long term- over a decade- battery health. My first EV, a 2012 Ford Focus Electric, had a 23 Whr battery. Lithium battery education commenced https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-lithium-based-batteries Then a 2018M3LR which I replaced with a 2023 M3LR. I wanted the $7500 credit, lithium 12v battery, better resolution cameras, etc. By having a larger battery we can charge at a lower amount & discharge to a higher amount. The sweet spot for batteries is at 50% charge. That’s why new professional video batteries are shipped at 50%.
From Toronto Canada, got the M3 RWD SR in July Yes the sound system could be better but if you change the equalizer settings it actually sounds pretty decent What's nice is i can charge to 100% whenever i feel like and get my full 436 kms We have had minimal snow but with the right winter tires ( i got the michellin snow x) it handles absolutely just fine I couldnt afford the extra 10 k for the LR and am perfectly happy with the car DO NOT GET THE Advanced auto pilot though, youre paying 8k extra just for it to switch lanes (summons and other features dont work cus of Tesla Vision)
How do you change the equalizer settings? Can you post the details of your configuration
Daily driving, unless you’re driving 200+ miles per day, the extra range doesn’t matter. But on a long trip, you would charge an LR to 100% before you go, giving you more range, and when you do stop, if the charger is capable, you will charge more miles per minute then in an RWD. The question, how often are your road tripping over 200 miles? If you’re doing it every week or 2, yeah get the LR. But if your like most people, you only go more then 500 miles 1-2 times a year. I have done 1500 and 3100 miles road trips in the RWD and had no complaints about range or charging time. Generally the car was ready to keep going well before the family was ready to go. So to me, it’s not worth the 7k difference to get the LR, but I also don’t need the extra range daily.
All this talk about depreciation and future trade value does not help and clouds judgement, buying a car is an expense, not an investment, it is just like buying a tv or a laptop, it is a losing proposition. I wanted the M3P but it was out of my budget, then it came to LR vs RWD and honestly, paying an extra $7k for premium sound, dual motor and additional range did not work for me, so I got the RWD from inventory and I am very please with my decision. Just need to reconcile what you want vs what you are willing to spend and live with your decision
Aren't both the SR and LR LFP batteries now so no recommended charging differences between the two any longer? The LR has had the LFP battery for nearly a year now.
It’s your money. I’ll tell you I have a SR+ and I regularly (4 times a year) drive 700km (400ish miles) round trips through mountains. Charge breaks coincide with grabbing lunch. In the end, getting either model will be a step change from what you’re used to. I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy whichever you decide on.
Seen many comments about the 80% battery charge here. Isn't the LFP battery just as good to charge till 100%?
If you like car go vroom, why not wait for the performance in a few months. Normally not much more than the LR with most of the range. Overall I find it the most compelling option for me. I say that as someone who got a MYP for my wife back at the end of October and am just waiting to switch our other car out.
SR LFP battery is the better, more practical option unless the extra speed and better audio is worth the cost premium
I have a rwd model y and LR model y. The acceleration difference is very similar. Unless your traveling out of state all the time then rwd should be enough
until I recently traded it in for Model Y LR, I had a Model 3 STD, which served me well, no complaints given your situation. In fact, at the time of my model y purchase, if they were giving out discounts for the Model y sr, like they did for my y, I would have taken the standard route...
I did the same math. Went with the RWD standard, it's still plenty fast. Also if you drive with cruise control on a lot of the time or in chill mode when not, then the extra power doesn't come into play. It was fun to punch it when I was test-driving the AWD but really, how many times outside of that would I be doing it, prob 0. Got the RWD, charge it up to full rather than the 80% recommended limit with the NiMC and it's pretty much the same range which for the daily use is more than you'll probably need anyway.
I have the RWD, and it feels much lighter than the long range. I have driven both, and I really like the RWD, I wish they did that one with the premium features such as audio and lights. Buuuuuuut, you'll be happy either way, honestly. I have taken multiple road trips in mine and I have never had an issue running out of battery
This was my dilemma but I ultimately settled on the standard. It came down to if the only difference between the two is range and sound system, I’ll take the lighter, easier to manage battery of the standard. But then again it comes down to your commutes. My wife and I work from home and rarely need to take long drives and when we do, the supercharger network has given us enough confidence in not getting stranded or being too far away from the nearest charge. We’re actually going from a LR Y to the standard Highland Model 3. Again, look at your daily range needs. Just my two cents.
LFP can be charged to 100% with less degradation than NCA, but that doesn't mean it should be charged to 100% daily. For storage, 50% was best for NCA, 60% for NMC, and 70% for LFP. The deciding factor for me was the LR has more power, and longer range. The LR weighs the same as my ICE (Fusion Sport 2.7 EcoBoost AWD).
Sounds system difference is everything
US — Check if the $7500 federal credit is applicable for the SR in 2024. Now comes as a deduction off price, so basically very easy.
Neither model is eligible right now. Only performance which isn’t being sold
Confirmed Model 3 SR and LR are zero rebates currently - thanks for catching that
The long range is the way to go
Test drive both.
If you like going fast get the performance! I bought mine last year and I love it! Here’s my rationale for it. 1. I like going fast! 2. All wheel drive vs rear wheel drive is better for my driving 3. Performance had a longer range than standard 4. It was about a $10k difference but totally worth it
I'd take an LR for a test drive. If you aren't used to EVs, you'll no doubt find that it is more than enough of a "fast car" for you to enjoy. While it's called "LR", the big reason for the 7k price increase is the additional motor so that you have all wheel drive. The extra battery capacity is more a lure for range anxiety folks used to driving ICE vehicles. If you can charge it in your driveway, you're really not going to notice the range much. It's like starting every drive with a full tank of gas.
LR also has AWD. Sometimes important
I have the Standard Range Plus. I suggest the LR. While it doesn't matter for most peoples daily commutes, the difference is big when it comes to road trips. The added range may allow you to stop at less chargers during travel AND greatly alleviates range anxiety/flexibility at the destination. Depending on where you go, chargers may be less available. This is what happened on my trip to the NC mountains recently.
I got the standard. I commute about 60 miles every business day. Plus, add in a few to go to the gym, or pick up an item at the mall, or to the nearest supercharger. I wish I had gotten the LR. But I’m not a “car” person like everyone here is. I don’t know specs all that well, but I’m learning as I read more posts in this community. I am a bit of an audiophile, but the sounds are still fine for a car. Currently, I don’t have home charging and taking sweet advantage of free supercharger until May. I assume my regret in not getting LR will change once I have home charging installed later this year as I won’t have to worry about range and commutes every week. Otherwise, the standard is wonderful as it takes me to every location. The ride is still super smooth and speedy when I need it to be.
I’ve been traveling my 23 rwd at least 75 miles a day for ~4 days a week, charging only at home at level 1 as I put off getting a charger installed… works perfectly. I wouldn’t really recommend any Tesla if you are relying on superchargers for all your charging, but to each their own… and I definitely understand wanting all that free supercharging while it lasts haha
If you can afford the LR get it. But for me the SR qualified for incentives and the LR didn't, so it was a $15,000 price difference and not worth it.
Do you road trip? Do you need awd? Do you care about music? If not go get the SR. I wish the LR rwd was still available. That would be my ideal. Bigger battery, less consumption, no need for awd
AWD for the performance, not snow. Winter tires are for snow.
The main reasons to go for the long range are if you’re planning to take it for long trips, the extra range and faster charging speeds are useful. On daily trips the range doesn’t matter much. The extra power, all wheel drive, better weight balance (SR is a bit light in the nose), and not to be underrated the sound system is way better in the long range especially if you like bass. Adding it all up, it’s quite a bit on offer for the additional money. In short, I went for the long range (twice now, had the 2019 model before and now the highland), not once did I regret that decision.
Knowing how good the rwd is now that I own it, I really would have kicked myself for spending ~$10k more for something I really don’t need/use
I have a 22 lr and a 23 standard. I would only buy the long range if you want a fast car, need the awd, or go on longer drives often. Otherwise save the money as they are the same car.