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Tesla Model 3 to Become the American Electric Carmaker's First Mass Production VehicleMaster Herald

Tesla Model 3 to Become the American Electric Carmaker’s First Mass Production Vehicle

Posted By: Ali AslaniPosted date: August 21, 2016In: Cars

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Apart from being the latest electric sedan from American electric carmaker Tesla Motor Corporation, the Model 3 shall officially become the company’s first mass production vehicle.

The development, launch, and forthcoming deliveries of the Tesla Model 3 are actually parts of the company’s Master Plan, which its founder and CEO Elon Musk first outlined in 2006 to turn the American electric carmaker into one of the key players in the US auto industry, cites The Week of UK.
Back then, Musk mapped out a three-pronged strategy to carve its niche in the American automotive business and eventually the global motoring industry. The first one was the Tesla Roadster, which was a low-volume, high-priced electric sports car, whose profits were used to bankroll the second car, the Model S, described as a mid-volume, mid-priced family saloon.
Then the third is the Model 3, which is a high-volume and reasonably-priced electric vehicle.
In the recent unveiling of the company’s Master Plan Part Deux, Tesla Motors has outlined its goals beyond next year. The Tesla Model 3 was specifically cited alongside mention of new home products, ownership models, driverless cars, and even pick-up truck alongside buses and lorries.
Musk explained that with the advent of autonomous technology, a cheaper vehicle is unlikely to be necessary and the Model 3 is as low as Tesla will go for the time being.
As a matter of fact, immediately after the Tesla Model 3, the electric carmaker shall be rolling out its first SUV, the Model X.
Tesla Motors is looking at delivering the first batch of Model 3 at the end of next year although the factory would not be able to reach full production capacity until 2020.
Based on initial projections, Tesla Motors is looking to produce 200,000 Model 3 by next year and around 500,000 in 2018, which according to critics are very difficult targets to meet even if production work is doubled given the limited capacity of the factory.
Fascinating production projection
From 2008 up to present, Tesla Motors has only produced 140,000 units of Roadster and subsequently the Model S. So it is just fascinating to imagine what the company has up on its sleeve that it is looking at manufacturing between 100,000 to 200,000 Model 3s next year, notes Electrek.
The confidence of Elon Musk has really kept most critics on the side for the time being, but one analyst has boldly predicted that the first Model 3s would not be arriving in the company’s allocated delivery window, which means that the electric sedan would not come out next year as scheduled.
Efraim Levy, a senior equity analyst at Standard & Poor’s Global, says he doubt if Tesla Motors would meet its own production deadline for the Model 3.

Tesla has a checkered history of delays with its Model S, Model 3, and the Model X so it would not be surprising it if pulls off a repeat performance on the Model 3 next year. In fact, from a 2017 projected release date, some critics are saying that the Model 3 might come out in September 2019.
However, all these remain as speculations and the answer would be more or less clear by the turn of the second half of 2017.
As it is, there are now 400,000 reservations for the Model 3 so it would be a big setback for the company if it does not deliver on its promise for the electric sedan.

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