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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that his company's "mass market sedan", the Model 3, can be pre-ordered in March 2016 for $35,000. The cars will not be available until 2017 at the earliest. From CNBC:
What's taking so long, you ask? Right now, the batteries that would power the Model 3 would cost about as much as the car is slated to. Tesla is building an enormous lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Nevada to make its own batteries for far less money — the "Gigafactory" mentioned in Musk's tweet.
Not much more can be revealed about the Model 3 except that, as Musk mentioned cryptically during a Q&A session on Reddit, "It won't look like other cars." What does that mean, exactly? We'll find out in March.
In the meantime, you can order yourself a new Model X — if you have the cash. The entry level model will cost around $5,000 more than a Model S with the same options, Musk wrote in yet another tweet — though you can easily spend well into the six figure range for the "Signature" high-end series.
Tesla customers will begin receiving their Model X "all-electric SUVs" beginning on Sept. 29.
(Score: 2) by quacking duck on Friday September 04 2015, @04:16PM
Well, you *do* need some cargo space, so either the hood or trunk has to remain in some form. And while Musk did say it'd be way different, in the very same sentence he also said "in a way that's really useful and just doesn't feel like a weird-mobile."
So something like a golf-cart like the Google driverless car prototype is out, and maybe the Smart Car too, because although it's fine as a runabout, it doesn't fit the profile of a "really useful" multipurpose car.
(Score: 2) by Rich on Friday September 04 2015, @04:36PM
Of course I thought the 2,20 m over the old Smart would be used for useful things. Like a lounge, or a massive cargo area. The Smart was just used to point out how far forward the driver can be moved without feeling cramped. Likewise, I didn't mean that there should be no access to the "trunk". It's just that a "cargo door" is more useful than a little boot flap. Cf. certain Audi S6 sold as estate only.
Also, in Limousine territory, the Renault Avantime absolutely beats all metrics for usefulness when compared to similar sized cars. It's just that its shape did not appeal to buyers, so it flopped. Tesla might get away with it when they convince the general public that electric cars are not only hip, but have to look like that. Be there or be square. A bit like with acceptance and desirability of their large centre-console screen.