Tesla CTO JB Straubel: Model 3 Is Going To Be Mostly New Technology

Tesla’s Chief Technology Officer, JB Straubel, recently revealed that the Model 3 will make use of mostly new technology — rather than simply reusing many of the technologies used in the Model S sedan and the Model X SUV.

The interesting comments came during a recent presentation (October 11th) at the University of Nevada – Reno — where he stated that new motor technology would be used, as well as new battery technology, etc. (Thanks to “aronth5” on the Tesla Motors Club forum for this.)

A transcription of the comments in question was provided (for those not wanting to watch the video) by “AudubonB” on the forum: “We’re inventing a whole new platform: it’s a new battery architecture, it’s a new motor technology — brand new vehicle structure…so it’s a lot of work. This is something we started on even a few years ago. But it is a brand new vehicle — and it has to be.”

Presumably some of the basics of the Tesla interface will be reused, despite the change in functional technology — though I could be wrong.

Considering the need to trim manufacturing costs as much as possible in order to meet the pricing goals set by the company’s execs, the move makes quite a lot of sense — how else to profitably sell Model 3s at the price that we have been told it will retail for?

A final note here, “tonybelding” caught this humorous line from Straubel concerning the Model X: “This is a sport utility vehicle that we’ve built on the same platform as Model S, so we were able to do it relatively quickly….”

Relatively quickly, huh? I’m not gonna complain here, because the quality standards that the company holds itself to are clearly a good thing, but one wonders how he could say that about the Model X development. I wonder if we should take this as a sign with regard to Model 3 deadlines?

4 thoughts on “Tesla CTO JB Straubel: Model 3 Is Going To Be Mostly New Technology

  1. Touting that the Model 3 have all new technologies, means a pricier car, more testing, and means more delays!

  2. I can’t believe this video is almost buried under a two minute item (Model 3) that was part of over an hour’s presentation. It needs to be spread far and wide. Please, Mr Ayre, see that it gets wider distribution.

    This is 100% pure JB Straubel the engineer – no Elon showmanship whatsoever. In his way, he presents the past and future of Tesla in a dispassionate, but earnest way that makes it a must see video.

    The bit about the Model 3 is about 2 minutes out of over an hour. Meanwhile he addresses climate change, autopilot concerns, education and what they’re doing, the huge challenge of building enough batteries, Tesla’s concerns about assuring 0 pollution (they refused to even build a natural gas pipeline to the gigafactory – which posed some challenges) and far more.

    It is, far and away, the best video I’ve seen to understand the fundamental Tesla mission.

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