Tesla’s First Commercial Advertises A $165,000 Model 3, Doesn’t Mention Autopilot

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, announced last week that Tesla’s First Commercial Advertises A $165,000 Model 3, Doesn’t Mention Autopilot for the first time in its twenty-year existence during an annual shareholders call. And by dabbling, Musk meant to release a two-minute advertisement with a Singaporean consumer praising her Tesla Model 3.

The official Twitter account for Tesla Asia wants you to get to know Felicia, a branch manager in Singapore who works in the financial sector. She will provide details you all there is to know about her Model 3 and how great it is for her family in terms of cleanliness, safety, and comfort:

Although long, monotonous, and full of outdated stereotypes about women and car buying (this car merely feels different, she intuitively knows this Tesla is a nice car, plus it’s suitable for a mother), it’s a completely plain and useful advertisement.

Autopilot, or even Full Self-Driving Beta, is one of Tesla’s advanced driver-aid systems that isn’t highlighted in the company’s debut advertisement. Except for a brief description of the advantages of Autosteer, one of the technologies offered on the Model 3, the gems of Tesla’s automotive empire aren’t even mentioned in the film.

As of this writing, the cost of this small Tesla Model 3 in the US is around $40,000. However, according to Channel News Asia, Tesla’s best effort at a budget car costs USD 165,720 in Singapore, where Felicia resides. Singapore is the most costly country in the world to own a car, which explains why.

To register a new car in Singapore, you must first get a Certificate of Entitlement (COE). But getting a COE requires a protracted bidding process; you can’t just buy one. Residents may apply for a COE through an open bidding exercise that opens twice each month.

The number of COEs the government will offer for each car category is disclosed. A COE is yours for ten years once you win it. Following that, you can either renew or deregister your COE. According to the Straits Times, a successful bid can frequently cost tens of thousands.

Tesla struggled for a time to gain traction in Singapore. In the past, Tesla has charged that the Singaporean government has unfairly discriminated against electric automobiles. In 2019, Musk cited Singapore’s hostility against EVs as why his business hadn’t yet begun selling automobiles there. In February 2023, according to CleanTechnica, the company became the eighth top-selling brand in the nation after delivering its first car to a customer in Singapore in 2021.

To sell a few dozen more cars, Tesla created a super-long advertisement using tired stereotypes about what women want in automobiles. Historically, Women are less likely to adopt EVs than men, and they tend to be turned off by Teslas. Best of luck with any upcoming commercials. You’re going to need it, Tesla.