Tesla calculator estimates how much it actually costs to buy a Model 3

Tesla already has a pretty sleek configuration tool that helps you figure out how much it would cost you to buy the new Model 3. Unfortunately, one thing it doesn’t tell you is exactly how much cash you’ll have to bleed for federal taxes and other fees. But thanks to this calculator, now you can find out.

Ben Sullins, who runs Tesla enthusiast community Teslanomics, has developed a nifty cost estimator tool that helps you calculate precisely that. The calculator is particularly useful since the federal tax fee changes based on how many vehicles the electric car maker has delivered.

“The way the tax credit works is once a manufacturer in the US hits the 200,000 mark the ‘phase out’ begins,” Sullins explains. “All cars produced that quarter and the following receive the full credit, people that take delivery in the next two quarters get 50 percent of that. Then for the last two quarters of the ‘phase out’ individuals who take delivery just get 25 percent of the $7,500 credit.”

Sullins’ Tesla Model 3 cost estimator can be accessed from this link.

Among other things, the tool offers cost estimates based on the the region where you will be buying the car, the expected delivery quarter. It also takes into account a series of other aspects like battery model (standard or long range), the vehicle’s autopilot capabilities and its color.

Sullins has explained in more detail how the tool estimates these costs in the video below:

To build the calculator, Sullins partnered with sales data company InsideEVs which provided him with monthly Tesla sales stats. For more context, the estimator was based on five years of historical Model S and X sales in the United States.

As Sullins warns in his explainer clip, Teslanomics will hit you with a request to sign up to its newsletter, but you can easily ignore this if you click the X.

Now go figure out how much you would really end up paying to own a Model 3 by heading to this page. Meanwhile, if you’re wondering when you’ll receive your newly reserved Tesla vehicle, make sure to check out this Model 3 delivery estimation tool.