This is the news many Tesla Motors supporters have been waiting for: Tesla announced their entry-level model, the Tesla Model 3, to be released in the forthcoming years. The news came earlier today when Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted about the new model, fueling further hype for the electric car company and their upcoming models as well. Elon used the social media platform, as he did in his earlier announcements and made sure the public was on it right away. To remind the readers, Model 3 represents Tesla’s SEX strategy, which was changed into S3X strategy after Ford trademarked ‘Model E’.
Artist rendering of Tesla Model 3. Rendering credit: Auto Express (UK)
We now know that Model 3 is set for a debut on Geneva International Auto Show in March of 2016, with a base price of $35,000. You can also reserve one as soon as it is unveiled. Just like its three previous models (Roadster, S, X), this will also mean that you will not be able to actually purchase the vehicle ordered – for a year or two after the unveiling. Why? According to Elon Musk, Tesla Motors first needs to finish their Gigafactory in order to allow them to produce the vehicle itself, leaving plenty of time before orders get fulfilled and vehicles get actually delivered to their new homes. This means that the actual production will begin in 2017, leaving future owners with a bittersweet time of waiting until their cars are manufactured and delivered.
Tesla Model 3 will compete with the likes of a BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Jaguar XE or Mercedes-Benz C-Class in terms of luxury, performance and comfort levels. The success of Tesla Motors as a company may well depend on the success of this entry-level sedan model. The sheer level of dedication, work hours and careful project management needed to produce vehicles on a large scale is something the currently low-level production number car maker will need to get through in the upcoming years to fully succeed.
Tesla Gigafab Gigafactory
