We are used to the slogan “faster, higher, stronger” and we expect continuous improvement in the results of automotive technology updates. However, sometimes the opposite happens. Here, for example, the publication electrek reports on the recovery of sales of the Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD in the US market – and of particular note is the claimed range of 333 miles (536 km) according to the rules of ERA measurements.

It seems like a good indicator: more than half a thousand kilometers on a single charge of the battery, which are still obtained in a fairly realistic test cycle. If not for one “but”: about a year ago, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD electric car was promised a range of 358 miles or 576 km.

The reduction in range appears to be due to the Tesla Model 3’s switch to iron-based LFP batteries instead of the nickel-based batteries of the past. Such LFP batteries are known to have a lower specific energy capacity for identical dimensions and weight – which is what we seem to be seeing in this case. And such LFP batteries may be of Chinese origin.

I wonder if all this will hinder the popularity of the electric car Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD, the sales of which should start already in June?…