“In order to have a range of ~300 miles on a charge, you have to buy the long range Model 3 for almost $50K.”
Base is 273. Long range (353) starts at $43k.
Tesla says 263 for Standard+ RWD. EPA says 250. Bare bones is around $38K. The range I would assume is for a fully charged battery. If you take it on a road trip and need to fill it up at a supercharger, the practical fill up is 80% or 210 miles under ideal conditions. That might be acceptable for drivers in moderate climates. I need a little more range for the winter months..