What is the ground clearance of Tesla Model 3?
4 Answers
Tesla Model 3 has a ground clearance of 138mm. Ground clearance refers to the minimum distance between the vehicle's undercarriage and the level ground under maximum load conditions. The minimum ground clearance directly affects a vehicle's off-road capability. Generally, sedans have the lowest ground clearance while SUVs have relatively higher ground clearance. Below is an introduction to vehicle ground clearance: 1. Initially, there were regulations specifying minimum ground clearance standards that vehicles couldn't fall below. However, with continuous advancements in automotive production technology, these regulations have been gradually phased out because some premium brands use air suspension systems that can adjust the vehicle's height according to road conditions while driving. 2. If a vehicle's minimum ground clearance exceeds 130mm, it can more easily navigate complex road surfaces during driving. 3. Higher ground clearance provides better off-road capability but reduces vehicle stability, while lower ground clearance offers better stability at the expense of off-road performance.
I just drove my friend's Model 3 on mountain roads the other day, and the ground clearance is indeed quite low. The official unladen ground clearance is about 138mm, roughly the height of an iPhone standing upright plus two finger widths. It's completely fine on urban paved roads, but you need to be extra careful with steep underground garage ramps or concrete speed bumps—my friend's front lip has been scraped twice. If you frequently drive on rough roads, I'd recommend installing an alloy underbody guard. A battery impact from bottom scrapes is no joke.
Driving a Model 3 to pick up kids often involves encountering speed bumps in the neighborhood. Actual measurements show the ground clearance is about 14 cm when unloaded. This height is sufficient for normal obstacles, but it can drop to around 12 cm when fully loaded with passengers and trunk luggage. Last time during a family trip to the suburbs, the chassis got scraped by a raised manhole cover in the parking lot—it was heartbreaking! It's advisable for owners to save Tesla's roadside assistance number in their phones. If the undercarriage gets stuck, don't force it to drive—the high-voltage battery pack is too precious to risk damage!
A Model 3 owner who just installed air suspension shares their experience: The stock spring chassis has a fixed height, with the official manual stating a 138mm ground clearance. Tesla's flat battery layout under the chassis results in weaker off-road capability compared to SUVs, but it delivers an ultra-low center of gravity and rock-solid cornering performance. To improve off-road capability, spending 30,000 yuan can get you adjustable suspension, which can be raised by up to 35mm, eliminating the heart-pounding moments when driving on rural dirt roads.
