Tesla Model 3 Gets $8,000 Cheaper In Canada But Two Seconds Slower
Tesla is no stranger to controversy when it comes to advertising, among other things. For a company that allegedly doesn't spend a dime on advertising, the EV maker is constantly in the news, although not always for the right reasons.
The latest mishap involves Tesla Canada's website, which recently started advertising a new Model 3 Premium RWD version that's about $8,000 cheaper that the previous entry-level version.
As it often does, Tesla did not provide details, preferring to leave people guessing the reason behind the sudden price drop. This "strategic ambiguity" approach the company sometimes uses-deliberately or not-often results in wider coverage than if a press release was issued regarding the matter.
Tesla Canada Changed The 0-62 MPH Time Twice In Two Weeks
While the reason behind the price drop is pretty obvious-Tesla will export China-made, LFP battery-powered Model 3 sedans to Canada to take advantage of the reduced tariffs-it doesn't explain why the automaker has rectified the Model 3's 0-62 MPH (0-100 km/h) acceleration time twice already.
When the cheaper Model 3 started to be advertised on Tesla Canada's website on May 1, the 0-62 MPH time was listed at 4.2 seconds, with information also including a top charging speed of 250 kW and a 119,000-mile (192,000-km) battery warranty.
But as Electrek points out, only two days later, Tesla amended the Model 3 page with new specifications, namely a 0-62 MPH time of 5.2 seconds, a top charging speed of 175 kW and a 100,000-mile (160,000-km) battery warranty.
Tesla said the initial 0-62 MPH time of 4.2 seconds was a "website error" and told customers who inquired about the changes that the previous specs had been posted in error.
But wait, it gets worse. Fast forward to May 19, and Tesla has changed the acceleration time once again to 6.2 seconds, which means the Model 3 Premium RWD ended up being two full seconds slower than initially advertised. So why is that?
It Looks Like Tesla Mixed Up The Specs With The Fremont-Built Model 3 RWD
Well, the 6.2-second time appears to be the correct one as it aligns with the 0-62 MPH time Tesla lists for the Model 3 Standard RWD in Europe and other markets that features the same LFP battery pack made in Shanghai, China.
That means the original 4.2-second time was never accurate-it was actually the acceleration time of the Fremont-built Tesla Model 3 that was previously sold in Canada.
The China-made Tesla Model 3 RWD features a 3D7 rear motor that makes 194 kW (260 hp) of peak power and 340 Nm (251 lb-ft) of torque, while the California-made Model 3 RWD has a different 3D6 motor that delivers more power and torque-220 kW (295 hp) and 440 Nm (324 lb-ft) to be exact.
The Model 3 Premium RWD's less powerful electric motor combined with the LFP pack that delivers lower peak discharge rates than the NMC battery pack results in a slower 0-62 MPH time for the China-built Model 3, which is totally fine as long as it's advertised correctly.
Let's just hope not too many Canadians placed orders for the Model 3 Premium RWD based on the 0-62 MPH time during the roughly two weeks that the website displayed incorrect information.
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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 4:15 PM.