Tesla Model III “Won’t Look Like Other Cars”

Tesla Motors, just two weeks removed from its major announcement about the Tesla Roadster, is back in the headlines. Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk recently said some things about the much-anticipated Tesla Model III that will certainly cause an uptick in speculation.

During a Reddit AMA on January 5th Musk told Redditors the Model III “won’t look like other cars.” Reports indicated Musk previously revealed that the Model III would be marketed as competition for the BMW 3 Series. The vehicle is expected to be able to travel 200 plus miles on a single charge. Tesla reportedly originally wanted to call this new vehicle the Tesla Model E, however a lawsuit from Ford apparently halted that naming direction. With Tesla consistently making headlines based on speculation, what is it that we really know about the Model III?

We know the apparent cost of the vehicle is $35,000. That number has also been called $40,000 with about $5,000 in tax rebate incentives. Either way it’s supposed to be a dramatic drop in price from the current Tesla Model S or forthcoming Model X Crossover. However, it won’t happen without success at the Gigafactory. The Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada is being constructed so Tesla can significantly lower the cost of its Lithium-ion battery packs.

Without cheaper batteries Tesla can’t offer a much less expensive vehicle. Another important piece of info to be considered about the Tesla Model III is the range. It’s been speculated that it will have a range of 200 miles. We reported previously the range estimates for the Tesla Model S are based on cruising at modest freeway speeds. Could the same hold true for the Tesla Model III? Will the 200-mile range only be possible in ideal conditions? Cold weather can also have the impact of reducing battery life in electric vehicles. Is that basic principle explained to new Tesla owners when the purchase in a state with frigid winters?

Will Tesla be able to get their price target down below $40,000 for the entry-level Model III sedan? Do you think it will be a better vehicle than the established BMW 3 series fleet? Is the future of automotive in electric cars, plug-in hybrids or gas-powered vehicles?