Tesla replaces white with Midnight Silver as its standard color

In an unexpected and refreshing move, Tesla US has changed its standard paint color for the Model 3 and Model Y. The company has switched the base paint from pristine Pearl White to sophisticated Midnight Silver. This means any paint color other than Midnight Silver will set customers back by at least an additional $1,000.

This recent shift brings to mind an age-old quip by Henry Ford. He once famously declared, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black,” a statement that underlined Ford's emphasis on efficiency over aesthetics for the Model T.

When Tesla initially launched the Model 3, it followed a similar strategy to Ford. The standard paint option was exclusively black, with other hues demanding an extra $1,000 premium. This decision echoed Ford's efficiency-driven approach, aimed at streamlining production in Tesla's case. As Tesla navigated through the labyrinth of increasing production numbers, it axed certain paint options to enhance efficiency even further. Consequently, the result was a wave of black Tesla vehicles populating the streets as Tesla accelerated production.

However, the color monotony eventually shifted in 2019 when Tesla switched from black to white as the standard paint color. This transition ushered in an era of sparkling white Teslas, which has lasted until this recent change.

The announcement about the new standard color, Midnight Silver, came as Tesla updated its online configurator for Model 3 and Model Y. Notably, the higher-end Model S and Model X remain untouched by this change, with white still reigning as their standard color.

The silver era promises a refreshing aesthetic departure from the swathes of white Tesla vehicles that have become a common sight. Indeed, the past four years saw Tesla's production rocket to nearly 500,000 units per quarter, resulting in what can only be described as a 'blizzard' of white Tesla vehicles. It has become so common that spotting half a dozen of these gleaming white electric chariots within five minutes is no extraordinary feat in many large cities.

While the US Tesla customers get to enjoy a free upgrade, Europeans are stuck with the white option. The Pearl White is the only standard color for both Model Y and Model 3, while the Model Y doesn't even come in the Midnight Silver. Instead, it has the $3,200 optional Quicksilver or, even dearer at $3,400, Midnight Cherry Red. Midnight Silver is a $1,700 option for Model 3 in Europe - will Tesla apply the same changes on the Old Continent or will it keep the two markets separate?

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