New York — Tesla’s long-promised $35,000 version of the Model 3 sedan is still nowhere to be found, but it’s inching closer to that price point. The electric-car maker has started taking orders for a mid-range battery Model 3 that goes about 420km between charges for $45,000. That’s about $4,000 less than the starting price of the sedan that went on sale in 2017, excluding incentives or options. The release of a lower-priced Model 3 was a “logical next step”, Evercore ISI analyst Arndt Ellinghorst said in a note. Offering cheaper versions of the vehicle raised a “big and unanswered question” of Tesla maintaining profit targets for the car, he said. While Tesla is making the Model 3 more accessible to some buyers, the starting price for sedans with the long-range battery is rising to $54,000. This iteration of the car boasts 500km of driving range, plus a faster top speed and zero-to-60 time. A cheaper rear-wheel version will no longer be available. CEO Elon Musk noted in a tweet tha...

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