Tesla Model 3
Tesla Model 3 | |
---|---|
Tesla Model 3 prototype | |
Overview | |
Manufacturer | Tesla Motors |
Also called | Code name: BlueStar |
Assembly | United States: Fremont, California (Tesla Factory) |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Compact premium car (C) |
Body style | 4-door sedan |
Powertrain | |
Electric range | Minimum 215 mi (346 km) range (EPA-rated)[1] |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 2,870 mm (113 in) est.[2] |
Length | 4,676 mm (184.1 in) est.[2] |
Width | 1,885 mm (74.2 in) est.[2] |
Height | 1,435 mm (56.5 in) est.[2] |
The Tesla Model 3 is an all-electric four-door compact luxury sedan produced by Tesla Motors. It was unveiled on March 31, 2016, with initial production and deliveries planned for the end of 2017. Tesla anticipates the Model 3 will deliver an all-electric range of at least 215 miles (346 km), with base model pricing in the US market starting at US$35,000 before any applicable government incentives.[1]
Within a week of the unveiling, company officials said they had taken 325,000 Model 3 reservations, more than triple the number of Model S sedans Tesla had sold by the end of 2015. These reservations represent potential sales of over US$14 billion.[1][3] As of May 15, 2016, Tesla had taken about 373,000 reservations.[4]
Overview
Company officials said the all-electric car will have a range of at least 215 miles (346 km), will be able to seat five people comfortably, include both front and rear trunks, and will be able to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour (0 to 100 km/h) in less than six seconds. The Model 3 is expected to have a drag coefficient of Cd=0.21. This will be lower than the Tesla Model S drag coefficient of Cd=0.24, which in 2014 was the lowest among current production cars.[5] Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the rear-wheel-drive base model would have great traction on ice because of the fast torque response of the electric motor.[6]
During the unveiling ceremony, Tesla announced a price starting at US$35,000 before any applicable government incentives. However, with options, Musk predicted that the average sales price will be closer to US$42,000.[1] First deliveries are expected in the US by late 2017, with full production in 2018.[1][7] As a result of the high demand for Model 3, in May 2016 Tesla Motors announced its decision to advance its 500,000 total unit build plan (combined for Model S, Model X, and Model 3) to 2018, two years earlier than previously planned, in order to accelerate its target for Model 3 output.[8][9] Tesla requested US$2 billion from the stock market to finance the plan.[10]
History
The Model 3 (stylized as "☰")[11] was codenamed Tesla BlueStar in the original business plan in 2007.[12] The name Model 3 was announced on Musk's Twitter account on July 16, 2014,[13] however the intended name was Model E that was abandoned due to Ford's trademark on the name; Musk wanted the three current models to spell SEX, but settled with "S3X".[14]
Design
In 2013, design chief Franz von Holzhausen stated that the Model 3 will "be an Audi A4, BMW 3-series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class type of vehicle that will offer everything: range, affordability, and performance with a starting price of US$30,000" that is targeted toward the mass-market.[15] While technology from Tesla's Model S will be incorporated into the Model 3,[16] it will be 20% smaller than the Model S[17] and have its own unique design.[18] According to Tesla's CTO, JB Straubel, in October 2015 most Tesla engineers were working on the 3 rather than S or X.[19][20] Since electric cars have less cooling needs than combustion cars, the Model 3 does not have a front grille. Musk intended for the final design to be released on June 30,[21] but the design was finished July 27 then it was not publicly released.[22] After the final design of the first Model 3, any further features would be included in future versions of the 3.[23] The glass roof (developed by Tesla Glass) is to be made of the same glass used for roof tiles;[24] a glass roof was introduced on the Model S in late 2016.[25]
Market
In September 2015, Tesla announced that the Model 3 would be unveiled in March 2016.[26] In January 2016, Musk stated that the first official pictures of the car will be revealed at the end of March 2016.[27] Delivery would begin in late 2017 first on the US West Coast and then move eastwards.[28] Potential customers were first able to reserve their spot in the queue at Tesla stores or online on March 31 with a refundable deposit of US$1,000.[29] In February 2016, Tesla indicated that the unveiling would be on March 31, 2016.[30] Employees of Tesla and SpaceX were given early access to Model 3 reservation, and about 10,000 signed up without discount.[31] Early production is usually more flawed, and both the Model S and the Model X had several problems at the start of their production,[32] but improved since then.[33]
On the morning of March 31, 2016, tens of thousands of people were reported waiting in lines to place the refundable deposit to reserve a Model 3 for 2017 delivery, even though they had not yet seen the car unveiled.[34] During the Model 3 unveil event, it was revealed that over 115,000 people had reserved the Model 3 in less than 24 hours prior to the unveiling event.[35] 24 hours after opening reservations, Tesla had advanced orders for over 180,000 units. As of April 3, 2016, Tesla Motors reported 276,000 reservations that represent potential sales of over US$11.5 billion.[1][36]
One week after the unveiling, Tesla reported over 325,000 reservations, which corresponds to about US$14 billion in potential sales.[3] Musk reported that 5% of reservations correspond to the maximum of two vehicles allowed per customer, "suggesting low levels of speculation".[39] Tesla Motors claims "this is the single biggest one-week launch of any product ever",[40] however other product sales may eclipse this, as the iPhone 6 sold over 4 million units in 24 hours,[41] and airliner orders have been of higher value.[42] According to Bloomberg News and others,[43] "the Model 3's unveiling was unique in the 100-year history of the mass-market automobile." Bloomberg reported that while the 1955 Citroën DS took in 80,000 deposits over 10-days at the Paris Auto Show, the Model 3 took 232,000 reservations in two days. In another comparison, the original iPhone reached 270,000 sales and reservations in two days.[44]
According to Tesla’s global vice-president Robin Ren, China is the second largest market for the Model 3 after the U.S.[45] Tesla reported the number of net reservations totaled about 373,000 as of May 15, 2016, after about 8,000 customer cancellations and about 4,200 reservations canceled by the automaker because these appeared to be duplicates from speculators.[4][46]
A study of potentially self-driving ridesharing Model 3s indicate that around 30,000 Model 3s could supply 10% of car trips around Austin, Texas at a cost of $0.663 per mile ($0.412/km), equivalent to the price of private ownership, and below that of current ridesourcing.[47][48]
Tesla, sometime after late 2017, plans to enter the following countries' markets for the first time with the Model 3: India, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and Ireland.[49]
Production
The company plans for the Model 3 are part of Tesla's three step strategy to start at high price and move progressively towards lower cost, where the battery and electric drivetrain technology would be developed and paid for through sales of the Tesla Roadster and Tesla Model S vehicles.[12][50] Whereas the Roadster used carbon fiber and the Model S and X use aluminum for the body, the Model 3 is made out of a combination of steel and aluminum,[51] steel being the dominant material.[52] Musk has said that Tesla will need to sell 500,000 cars per year (mostly Model 3) to become profitable.[53]
- Production stages
As of May 2016 Tesla and its suppliers expect volume production to occur sometime in second half of 2017, but not by the "deadline" of July 1, 2017. Usually car production takes a couple of years to start. Tesla indicated to suppliers that it intended to double earlier announced Model 3 production targets to 100,000 in 2017 and 400,000 in 2018 due to demand, which suppliers[54][55] and some analysts viewed as difficult.[56] In Tesla Factory, paint lines for 500,000 cars were begun in 2015, and some stamping equipment for the Model 3 was operational in August 2016.[57] After the two Alpha prototypes (silver and black; red is a shell) were shown in April 2016, Tesla finished the design in late July 2016. Tesla ordered parts equivalent to 300 Beta prototypes in August 2016, preparing for development of the assembly line. When the production line is operational, the factory can make release candidates for testing before actual production begins.[58][59] By October 2016, Tesla stated it to be "on schedule".[60][61] The Gigafactory is intended to produce battery packs for Model 3, however Tesla also posted job listings for "Drive Unit production line" engineers at the Gigafactory.[62]
- Deliveries
Tesla expects to start first customer deliveries in second half of 2017. Due to the waiting list, new customers ordering a Model 3 in May 2016 could receive it by late 2018.[55]
Specifications
The base model is expected to have:
Feature | Description | Optional Features | References |
---|---|---|---|
Range (minimum) | 215 mi (346 km) (EPA-rated) | Longer-range battery pack
300+ miles (482+ km) |
[63] |
Estimated measurements | L × W × H 4,676 mm (184.1 in) × 1,885 mm (74.2 in) × 1,435 mm (56.5 in)
wheelbase 2,870 mm (113 in) |
[2] | |
Automobile layout | Rear-Wheel Drive [RWD] | Dual motor / All-Wheel Drive [AWD] | [63][64][65] |
Acceleration time | Less than 6 sec. 0–60 mph (0–100 km/h) | Less than 4 sec. 0–60 mph (0–100 km/h)
Ludicrous mode |
[63][66] |
Self Driving capability | Hardware and active safety features | Enhanced Autopilot or Full Self driving capability | [67][68] |
Aerodynamics | Expected drag coefficient of Cd=0.21 | [69] | |
Navigation console | Single center mounted 15-inch (380 mm) LCD console display in landscape orientation | [70] | |
Rear roof area | One continuous piece of glass | Glass, metal or sunroof center roof panel | [63][71] |
Handling | Different "steering controls and system" than seen in the unveiled prototypes, that "feels like a spaceship" | [72] | |
Trunk | Front and rear | [63] | |
Charging | Worldwide electrical voltage and amperage charging compatibility
400 kWh of supercharging credits per year |
Supercharger credits | [73][74][75] |
Interior | Vegan friendly (non-leather) | [76] | |
Suspension | Normal | Active air suspension | [77] |
Towing | Tow hitch | [78] |
Reception
Robert Cumberford, a widely known car design critic, says the Model 3 "is an excellent design" and praised the front fascia skin that he thinks is superior to the painted surrogate grille of the Model S.[79][80]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Baker, David R. (2016-04-01). "Tesla Model 3 reservations top 232,000". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2016-09-14. Tesla Motors had sold 107,000 Model S cars by the end of 2015
- 1 2 3 4 5 Vance, Brian (2016-05-10). "Exclusive Tesla Photos and Expert Analysis on Model 3 Design and Tech". Motor Trend. US. Retrieved 2016-05-15.
- 1 2 Hull, Dana (2016-04-07). "Tesla Says It Received More Than 325,000 Model 3 Reservations". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
- 1 2 Cole, Jay (2016-05-18). "Tesla, Musk Plan $2 Billion Stock Sale To Build Model 3, 373,000 People Reserved". InsideEVs.com. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
- ↑ "Model 3 Mega Tweetstorm: Tons of new info on production ramp, dashboard, trunk and more". Electrek.
- ↑ "Elon Musk on Twitter". Twitter. 2016-04-03.
- ↑ Edelstein, Stephen (2015-03-30). "Tesla pushes investors for a gigafactory in Japan". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2015-06-07.
- ↑ Goliya, Kshitiz; Sage, Alexandria (2016-05-04). "Tesla puts pedal to the metal, 500,000 cars planned in 2018". Reuters. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
- ↑ Tesla Motors (2016-05-04). "Tesla shareholders letter:Tesla First Quarter 2016 Update" (PDF). Tesla Motors. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
- ↑ Lienert, Paul (2016-05-18). "Tesla plans $2 billion stock sale to accelerate Model 3 program". Automotive News. US. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
- ↑ Musk, Elon (2014-08-15). "Elon Musk Tweets name confirmation". Tweet.
- 1 2 Welch, David (2007-07-30). "Tesla: A Carmaker With Silicon Valley Spark". BloombergBusinessweek. Archived from the original on 2014-09-14. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
- ↑ Musk, Elon (2014-07-16). "Confirmed: Our Gen III car, due out after Model X, will be named Model 3.". Twitter. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
- ↑ Elon Musk wanted to name his Model 3 Model E so Tesla’s brands would spell SEX. This and other secrets about his newest car Bloomberg News, March 30, 2016 Retrieved April 4, 2016.
- ↑ "Detroit 2013: Tesla's Family Will Grow". automobilemag.com. 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ↑ LaMonica, Martin (2008-09-24). "Tesla's 'Bluestar' to be all-electric family car". CNET. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
- ↑ "12 interesting things we learned from Tesla's Elon Musk this week". The Guardian. 2013-10-25. Retrieved 2013-10-26.
- ↑ "Elon Musk: I Want The Model 3 To Be Different, Not Just A Smaller Model S". CleanTechnica. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ↑ Morris, Charles (2015-10-22). "Tesla shifts focus to Model 3 as engineers prepare to start work at the Gigafactory". Charged EVs. Retrieved 2015-11-07.
- ↑ Video on YouTube
- ↑ "This Is The Tesla Model 3's Biggest Design Fail". US: Teslarati. 2016-05-06. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
- ↑ Randall, Tom (2016-07-27). "Elon Musk Says It's 'Pencils Down' for Tesla's Model 3". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
- ↑ Ziegler, Chris (2016-06-02). "Tesla Model 3's design will be finished in six weeks, Elon Musk says". The Verge. US. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
- ↑ Muoio, Danielle (2016-11-01). "Elon Musk: Tesla is developing a special kind of glass for its Model 3". Business Insider. Retrieved 2016-11-02.
- ↑ Dow, Jameson (2016-11-04). "Tesla adds new "Glass Roof" Model S option; discontinues P90D". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-11-04.
- ↑ Heisler, Yoni (2016-01-07). "Tesla confirms: Model 3 will be unveiled in March". BGR. Retrieved 2016-01-09.
- ↑ Ma vie en Tesla la rencontre avec Elon Musk. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-01 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Reserving your Model 3". www.teslamotors.com. 2016-03-21. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
- ↑ "Model 3 Reservation Deposit". www.teslamotors.com. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
- ↑ Ziegler, Chris (2016-02-10). "Tesla's Model 3 will be shown on March 31st, 'on schedule' for 2017 production". The Verge. Retrieved 2015-05-09.
- ↑ "Tesla Model 3: data shows that Tesla and SpaceX employees made over 10,000 reservations". Electrek. 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
over 10,000 reservations were placed by employees
- ↑ "Consumer Reports Car Reliability Survey 2016". Consumer Reports. 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
When a car model is brand new or “completely redesigned,” that can mean new parts, new systems—and new problems.
- ↑ Dow, Jameson (2016-10-26). "Tesla says it reduced Model X issues by 92% amid criticism from Consumer Reports". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ↑ "Tesla Model 3: tens of thousands reportedly reserving the $35,000 car without having seen it". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ Stoll, John (2016-02-10). "Tesla's Musk: Model 3 Orders Surpassed 115,000 Within 24 Hours". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
- ↑ Bradshaw, Tim (2016-04-03). "Tesla Model 3 orders point to potential $11.5bn sales". Financial Times. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
- ↑ Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy and U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and (2016-09-14). "Find a car - Years: 2016–2017 - Vehicle Type: Electric". fueleconomy.gov. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
- ↑ Fleming, Charles (2016-09-12). "Chevy Bolt EV range is 238 miles: Prime time for the electric car?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
- ↑ "Elon Musk on Twitter". 2016-04-07.
- ↑ The Tesla Team (2016-04-07). "The Week that Electric Vehicles Went Mainstream". Tesla Motors. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
- ↑ "iPhone 6 Pre-Orders Break Record". 2012-09-24.
- ↑ "IndiGo Confirms $27 Billion Order to Buy 250 Airbus Planes". Bloomberg.com. 2015-07-17. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
- ↑ "Tesla's Model 3 Already Has 325,000 Preorders". New York Times. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
“We are not aware of any precedent of this level of order interest for any other car,” Adam Jonas, a Morgan Stanley analyst, wrote in a research note.
- ↑ Randall, Tom (2016-04-21). "Ten Charts That Will Make You Rethink Tesla's Model 3". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
- ↑ Kwong, Phoenix (2016-04-28). "China second-largest market for Tesla's Model 3 car". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
- ↑ Hull, Dana (2016-05-18). "Tesla to Sell $1.4 Billion in Shares for Expanded Production". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
- ↑ Lambert, Fred (2016-10-28). "A ride in a self-driving Tesla Model 3 on 'Tesla Network' could end up costing only ~$0.60 per mile". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-10-28.
- ↑ T. Donna Chen of the University of Virginia, Kara Kockelman and Josiah P. Hanna of the University of Texas at Austin. Part 1 Part 2 2016
- ↑ "New Model 3 will extend Tesla's reach into India, Brazil and other global markets". TechCrunch. AOL. 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ Musk, Elon (2006-08-02). "The Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan (just between you and me) No. 124". Tesla Motors. Archived from the original on 2010-08-02. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
- ↑ Uesaka, Yoshifumi (2016-09-12). "The company that helps Tesla make aluminum look sexy". Nikkei Asian Review. Archived from the original on 2016-09-13. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
- ↑ Ride in the Tesla Model 3. Motor Trend. US. 2016-04-01. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
- ↑ "Is Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) Mobility A Future Prospect Or Morgan Stanley's Fantasy?". businessfinancenews.com. Archived from the original on 2015-09-25.
Mr. Musk has said that the company wouldn't be profitable unless its sells 500,000 vehicles annually by 2020. 500,000 vehicle deliveries is the 2020 goal that is purely dependent on Tesla's much affordable, compact EV, the Model 3, which is slated for 2017-end and reliant on the under-construction battery producing factory.
- ↑ Paul Lienert and Alexandria Sage (2016-05-20). "Exclusive: Suppliers question Tesla's goals for Model 3 output". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2016-05-23. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
"Now, will we actually be able to achieve volume production on July 1 next year? Of course not. The reason is that even if 99 percent of the internally produced items and supplier items are available on July 1, we still cannot produce the car because you cannot produce a car that is missing 1 percent of its components", Musk said. Under ideal conditions, automakers have launched new assembly lines in 18 months, but they typically take two to three years after the first tooling and supply contracts are signed. Tesla says the Model 3 features 6,000 to 7,000 unique components, fewer than the typical automobile with a combustion engine and the Model S, which has more than 8,000 parts.
- 1 2 Lambert, Fred (2016-05-04). "Tesla sets July 1st 2017 as deadline for Model 3 parts with suppliers and internally". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-11-05.
July 1st, 2017 "impossible date". someone ordering a Model 3 today would have a chance of having it delivered by the end of 2018.
- ↑ Lambert, Fred (2016-11-23). "Tesla Model 3 will not arrive until 'very end' of 2018, says once TSLA-cheerleader Morgan Stanley's Adam Jonas". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
We continue to forecast a Model 3 launch at the very end of 2018 (more than 1 year later than company target) with 60k units in 2019 and 130k units in 2020.
- ↑ Campbell, Angela (2016-08-04). "Tesla Motors Model 3 Equipment "Already Online" at Fremont Factory". The Country Caller. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
Last year, the company started constructing the new paint shop which could paint 500,000 cars a year
- ↑ Lambert, Fred (2016-08-01). "Tesla Model 3: Tesla is ordering enough parts for a fleet of ~300 prototypes". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-11-05.
it doesn’t mean that the number of parts divided by the number of parts per vehicle necessarily means Tesla will build a fleet of 300 since some of the parts will be used for process validation outside of prototypes and other processes
- ↑ Campbell, Angela (2016-08-02). "Ordering Enough Model 3 Parts For 300 Prototypes". The Country Caller. Retrieved 2016-11-05.
Once the assembly line is installed following the beta prototype completion, the automaker produces a several “release candidates.”
- ↑ Lambert, Fred (2016-10-26). "Tesla Model 3 progress: production line layout completed, Tesla now testing subsystems". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-11-05.
- ↑ "Edited Transcript of TSLA earnings conference call or presentation 26-Oct-16 9:30pm GMT". Yahoo. 2016-10-27. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
Musk [39]: we're not taking any action that would cause the Model 3 timeline to be extended in any way. [41]: We're still highly confident of reaching volume production in the second half of next year.
- ↑ Lambert, Fred (2016-10-15). "Tesla is building new 'drive unit production lines' at the Gigafactory, will not only manufacture battery packs". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-11-05.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Weintraub, Seth (2016-03-30). "Tesla Model 3 exclusive leaked specs: 0-60 under 4 sec fast and 300+ mile range options (Update: Base 6 sec 0-60 and 215 mile range)". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
- ↑ "Tesla Model 3: everything we know after the unveil, safety, range, charging [Gallery + Video]". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ "Tesla Motors on Periscope: "First ride #Model3"". Periscope. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ "Elon Musk on Twitter". Twitter. 2016-04-30.
- ↑ Lambert, Fred (2016-10-19). "Tesla announces all production cars now have fully self-driving hardware". Electrek. US. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
- ↑ Ohnsman, Alan (2016-10-19). "Musk Isn't Waiting For 2020s; All Teslas Being Built With Self-Driving Gear Now". Forbes. US. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
- ↑ "Elon Musk on Twitter". Twitter. 2016-04-03.
- ↑ Nick Jaynes (2016-04-01). "Tesla unveils the Model 3, its mass-market electric car". Mashable. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ After 20 seconds into the video Tesla rep says metal roof will be an option. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbDG1_AvN9c?t=20s That "Tesla rep" is Doug Field, Tesla's VP of Engineering
- ↑ "Elon Musk on Twitter". 2016-04-03.
- ↑ Bryant, Tom (2016-04-01). "Elon Musk Reveals Tesla's Affordable Model 3". PC Mag. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
- ↑ Fleming, Charles (2016-06-01). "No free charging for Model 3? Tesla can explain". LA Times. US. Retrieved 2016-06-02.
- ↑ "An Update to Our Supercharging Program". Tesla Motors. 2016-11-07. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
- ↑ "Elon Musk on Twitter". Twitter. 2016-04-03.
- ↑ "Elon Musk on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
- ↑ "Elon Musk on Twitter". Twitter. 2016-04-03.
- ↑ Robert Cumberford (2016-09-05). "By Design: Tesla Model 3". Automobile Magazine. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
- ↑ Lambert, Fred (2016-09-05). "Tesla Model 3's design praised by famed car design critic Robert Cumberford". Electrek. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
External links
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