Tesla has finally settled on a name for its upcoming compact all-electric sedan. The new model, which is expected to start around $35,000 and possess a range of up to 200 miles, will be called the Model III.
Speaking with Auto Express, Tesla chief Elon Musk explained why a clash with Ford forced the automaker to abandon plans for its first-choice “Model E” moniker.
“We had the model S for sedan and X for crossover SUV, then a friend asked what we were going to call the third car,” said. “So I said we had the model S and X, we might as well have the E.
“We were going to call it model E for a while and then Ford sued us saying it wanted to use the Model E – I thought this is crazy, Ford’s trying to kill sex! So we’ll have to think of another name. The new model is going to be called Model 3, we’ll have three bars to represent it and it’ll be S III X!”
While Musk didn’t delve into the specs of the Model III, previous reports have suggested it will not ride on a shortened version of the Model S’ all-aluminum architecture, instead relying on a unique platform with less-expensive steel components. In size, the sedan will likely be about 20 percent smaller than the Model S.
The BMW 3 Series-rivaling Model III is expected to debut in 2016 and hit the market in 2017, roughly two years after Tesla’s next product, the Model X crossover.
Update for Tesla Roadster
During his interview with Auto Express, Musk revealed one other interesting tidbit – Tesla is planning a battery upgrade for the discontinued Roadster that should boost maximum range from 245 to 400 miles.
Photo by Ronan Glon.
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