Comment Before the arrival of the Tesla Model Y, the Model 3 was the best-selling electric car by a wide margin and for good reason. The Model 3 was relatively affordable and has become even more so over the years. Plus, it has access to Tesla Superchargers, which make road-tripping it relatively easy. Today, you can get a Model 3 for as little as $38,990 for the base rear-wheel model. With 272 miles of range, though, it's not the one we'd recommend buying. Stepping up to the longest-range model for $42,290 gets you 363 miles of range. That's a killer deal, but maybe you just don't want a Tesla, or perhaps you don't like the look of a Model 3. More Tesla Alternatives BMW i4 The only Model 3 rival that is not a bespoke EV, meaning it’s built on a combustion car platform, yet is good enough to challenge the Tesla is the BMW i4. The base single-motor i4 eDrive 35 costs $52,200; it has the same sprint time as the base Model 3 and a range of up to 276 miles if you stick to the smallest available wheels. The longest-range model is the dual-motor $61,600 i4 xDrive 40, with a claimed EPA range of up to 307 miles and an acceleration time of 4.9 seconds. If you’re after all-out performance, BMW offers the $69,700 i4 M50 with 536 horsepower and a sprint time to 60 mph of 3.7 seconds. We’ve tried several versions of the i4 over the years, and it’s definitely a competent EV that looks great and is well-built. However, it’s also pretty heavy and not as effortless to thread around a twisty road as the much lighter and more nimble Model 3.