Tesla Motors, California-based electric car specialist, rolled-out the first unit of Model 3 on July 7. The first unit of the electric sedan has been gifted to company CEO Elon Musk by Ira Ehrenpreis (Tesla investor and board member) on his 46th birthday.

Also read: BMW 3 series electric in the making to take on Tesla Model 3

The commercial production of the Model 3 is expected to begin in two weeks ahead of scheduled delivery of the first batch of 30 units on July 28 at a handover party. In many ways, the Model 3 is not just another regular electric vehicle. It has the potential to become the face of new generation electric vehicles for a really long duration.

Tesla Model 3 photo
First Tesla Model 3Elon Musk via Twitter

We have compiled a list that explains why Model 3 is a benchmark for many upcoming EVs.

Model 3 is affordable- The model 3 is the most affordable Tesla model. While Model S is priced at around Rs 46.5 lakh and SUV Model X around Rs 53.12 lakh, Model 3 is much cheaper at around Rs 23 lakh. Getting a BMW 3 Series rival EV at that price point makes the Tesla car a stunner.

Model 3 has good range- one of the perennial problems in the EVs is that most of them come with shorter range. The Model 3 comes with a range of nearly 402 km. The sedan also comes with supercharging. Model 3 can achieve half charge in 20 to 30 minutes at Tesla Supercharger stations.

It's fast- Being an electric car doesn't mean Model 3 is slow. It is capable of doing the 0 to 96kmph sprint in less than 6 seconds. That equals to the time by a 2013 Porsche Panamera Diesel 3.0 V6 Turbo.

It's a practical everyday EV- The Model 3 comfortably seats five adults. Because it's an EV and many of the mechanicals of a regular car are done away with, there is ample space in the two boots, front and back. It is priced well and boasts a good range. All this makes the Model 3 an everyday car.

Impressive bookings- March 31, 2016, were the day when Tesla Motors unveiled Model 3. It has garnered serious interest globally and the company has received over four lakh bookings so far. Can you name an EV that got such a welcome?

Tesla Model 3
Tesla Model 3Tesla