Growing hype ahead of Tesla’s Model 3 launch

Chatter on enthusiast forums and press reports regarding the forthcoming launch of the low-cost Tesla Model 3 are increasing as the launch draws closer. To that end, some further scraps of information about the car have surfaced; Tesla CTO, JB Straubel revealed this week that the Model 3 would feature “next-generation” Tesla technology, which was not necessarily expected given the reduced price tag. Straubel stated: “…I think it will surprise people with the level of features it (the Model 3) includes.” Furthermore, a recent post on the Tesla Motors Club forum by a purported industry insider revealed that the Model 3 will look very similar to the Model S, only smaller and without luxury features such as leather seats.

Originally published on EV Obsession.

A recent post on the Tesla Motors Club forum concerning the Model 3 — detailing a conversation with a purported Tesla insider — has revealed what many of us have already been expecting. That the Tesla Model 3 will look very similar to the Model S sedan, just smaller.

Here’s the full comment in question, courtesy of “MrJones390“:

And he said the following:

-Model 3 looks very similar to Model S, just smaller and without luxury features like leather seats

-Cost saving is due to Gigafactory, smaller battery and economy features

-Possible release of smaller, stripped down Model X at same time (not sure if name is Model Y)

We’ll see if this is true next month!

This isn’t really surprising (if true). Why take a gamble when you know that by going with the basic Model S look you’re going to please most potential buyers? That said, this does seem to fly in the face of what CEO Elon Musk said previously about the Model 3 “not looking like anything else on the road.” (That may not be the exact quote, I don’t have it here in front of me. But it’s the general gist.)

As far as the possible release of a crossover at the same time, I remain highly skeptical of that. And Musk has seemingly shot that possibility down in the recent past as well, so it seems unlikely. Perhaps the comment about a stripped down Model X was in reference to something else?

The official unveiling of the Model 3 is now less than a month away, though, so I suppose that we’ll know if any of this is true soon enough.

→ Related: Tesla CTO: Model 3 To Feature “Next Generation” Technology

Image by Zachary Shahan | EV Obsession | CleanTechnica (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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