Tesla, a manufacturer of electric cars, has launched its affordable Model 3 car, handing over the first 30 units to employee buyers.

Chief executive officer Elon Musk said the model had over half a million advance reservations.

Outside Tesla's Fremont, California factory, Musk showed off the $35,000 base vehicle with a range of 350 km on a charge that marks a departure from the company's earlier luxury electric cars, a Reuters report said. The car has a topspeed of 225 km.

Musk took to the stage driving a red Model 3, and said Tesla has produced 50 of the vehicles so far, including 20 for testing purposes.

Model 3 is a smaller, simpler and a more affordable electric car.  Designed and built as the world’s first mass-market electric vehicle, it is a critical step in Tesla’s mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy, the company said.

Like every Tesla vehicle, Model 3 combines range, performance, safety and technology. Intelligent design maximises interior space to comfortably fit five adults and all of their gear. The high-efficiency powertrain provides zero to 60 mph acceleration in as little as 5.1 seconds.

Model 3 is designed to achieve the highest safety ratings in every category.  Eight cameras, forward radar and 12 ultrasonic sensors enable active safety technologies including collision avoidance and automatic emergency braking, the company said. It also has six front row and two side curtain airbags.

Reservations for Model 3 first opened on March 31, 2016 and remain available today, it said.

The company intorduced two options a Standard edition expected to travel 220 miles on a full charge, and a long-range model that would travel 310 miles.

Musk said the company will soon build the cars at a rate of 5,000 a week, ramping up to 10,000 a week by the end of next year, and that customers who order the cars now would likely receive them late next year. - TradeArabia News Service