As Tesla readies itself for the release of the Model X, the attention of some electric car fans is already shifting to the forthcoming Model 3. Little is known about this vehicle as of yet, and the company has done little to confirm any official details. Perhaps Tesla has learned something from the release of the Model X, which was continually delayed due to technical reasons, which rather flew in the face of continual chatter from the company.
It seems with the Model 3 that Tesla is playing its cards much closer to its chest, possibly anticipating that this road vehicle could also experience significant delays. The inimitable CEO and founder of the company, Elon Musk, remains a very public figure, and has made numerous insightful statements about the future of Tesla in recent months. Yet little has emanated from the company regarding the forthcoming Model 3, except for statements confirming its existence.
Tesla Model 3 concept images
So it’s interesting that a new range of concept images have given us some idea of what the Model 3 may look like once it finally reaches the public domain.
Stumpf Studio has produced the renderings in question, which can be seen throughout this article. These build upon the previous artist impressions produced by Theophilus Chin, and envisage a Model 3 which will be something of a five-door elongated hatchback. Already the images in question have drawn comparisons to the BMW i3; not exactly an unflattering juxtaposition.
It is appropriate that the Model 3 has been compared to the BMW series, as it will clearly attempt to offer an alternative to vehicles such as the BMW 3 Series.
This is a nattier, more slimline vehicle than previous Tesla releases, with the corporation having significantly reduced the dimensions of the vehicle compared to other products from the electric car manufacturer.
Model 3 set for March 2016 release
One morsel of information that Tesla has let slip about the Model 3 is that it is expected to be released in March 2016. Of course, one should be prepared to take this information with a massive dose of salt, as the Model X has already been delayed on numerous occasions. The demanding nature of designing, manufacturing, testing and ultimately releasing a roadworthy vehicle can lead to delays with the best will in the world, and there have been all manner of delayed releases of gas guzzling vehicles in the dim and distant past.
The Model 3 will be 20 percent smaller than the the previous Model S, while the price tag that Tesla has set for the vehicle is also expected to be significantly smaller than previous releases. The Model 3 is expected to range between $30,000 and $35,000 in price when it is released, although Tesla has declined to confirm these figures itself.
Early specifications related to the vehicle suggest that this entirely electric car will be capable of travelling between 200 and 300 miles on a single battery charge. Tesla is currently developing its battery charging facilities in order to ensure that consumers wishing to travel via electric vehicle are able to enjoy this process as conveniently as possible.
With Tesla also launching the Model X crossover in July, it is an extremely busy time for the electric car manufacturer. Tesla has already established itself as the market-leader in this niche, and despite something of a turbulent time over the last 18 months, the future now appears rosy for Tesla.
Model 3 key to Tesla future
The share price of the corporation has recently recovered significantly, after investors, analysts and the city were somewhat sceptical about its prospects just 12 months ago. With Tesla now diversifying into other related industries, it has even been recently suggested by some market observers that the share price of the company could almost double to $400 in the next 5 to 7 years.
The prospects of Tesla have also been significantly improved by continual links with the consumer electronics giant Apple. It was originally suggested that Apple may be interested in buying out Tesla, when the two corporations staged a meeting during 2014. Since then, Apple has been linked with producing in-car technology for electric vehicles, assisting Tesla with the production of batteries, and finally with manufacturing an electric vehicle of its own.
Although this could represent some form of competition for Tesla, the general feeling is that the involvement of Apple in the electric car niche will be good for the existing market-leader, as it could simply expand the marketplace. Tesla would then be able to gain possibly a smaller portion of a much larger overall pie.
The Model 3 will play a significant role in the development of Tesla in the coming years as it looks to satisfy such predictions. And we now have a very clear concept of how this vehicle might appear, whetting the appetite of electric car aficionados.