The 2022 Tesla Model 3 has just earned a 5-star rating from the Green NCAP, an autonomous initiative dedicated to helping drivers determine the most energy-efficient vehicles. Electric vehicles have been proven to be beneficial to the environment, hence why most automakers have invested heavily in the market segment. Previously, Tesla enjoyed a controlling stake in the EV segment, and while it still does, the only difference is that more EV releases have been witnessed. Nowadays, Tesla has to compete with the Mercedes-Benz EQS, Lucid Air EV, and many others.
The Tesla Model 3 is considered the most popular electric model in the world due to its affordability and impressive offerings ranging from acceleration to driver safety features. Interestingly, the production of this EV was said to have nearly led Tesla to bankruptcy. Yet, today, it's one of the reasons why the automaker has remained a big name in the EV segment despite entries from legacy automakers like Ford, Volvo and General Motors. In June this year, the Model 3 was the highest-rated car among U.S. and European drivers.
The Green NCAP is a group concerned with encouraging the generation and purchase of clean, efficient cars. Its assessment of the Model 3 comprised the use of three metrics: the Clean Air Index, Energy Efficiency Index and Greenhouse Gas Index. Tesla credited the impressive performance to its production blueprint, which "introduces running changes to vehicles to improve thermal comfort, driving dynamics, efficiency, range and more." The Model 3 utilized for the test had a battery capacity of 60 kWh, a single-motor powertrain and a rear-wheel drive (RWD) configuration. In the first test, the Model 3 scored 10 out of a possible 10. In the Energy Efficiency Index, the Tesla got 9.6 out of 10. For the Greenhouse Gas Index, the Model 3 got 9.8 out of 10. According to the NCAP, the Model 3's results are the highest any electric model has ever recorded since the test's inception.
What This Means For Model 3 Sales
The NCAP's latest appraisal spells good for the California-based EV maker's efforts to remain number one in the market. More sales should be anticipated since the assessment results portray the Model 3 as a standard for measuring energy-efficient cars. Meanwhile, the findings of a newly conducted study show that automakers recorded an increase in the sales of EVs by almost 70 percent in 2022. This is a good sign for the segment and justifies the substantial investment made by automakers.
For instance, Tesla still has a couple of new models to launch in the market, the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck's release has been the topic of many people, with multiple postponements made since it was announced in 2019. Another Tesla EV that's keenly awaited is the Roadster, a rebirth of the automaker's first car.
Sources: Tesla, Green NCAP