As the Tesla Model 3 unveil gets closer and closer, I’m getting the sense that some people are getting rather impatient. To throw those who feel this way a bit of a scrap here, Tesla’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), JB Straubel, recently spoke on the subject at the IHS Energy CERAWeek event in Houston, Texas.
There wasn’t much “new” revealed, per se, but there were some interesting comments. Amongst which was that the Model 3 would feature the “next-generation” of Tesla technology — not something unexpected, but it does seem to suggest that there are some surprises in store for the reveal at the end of March.
Adding to that, he apparently noted: “We don’t really need more performance; we don’t really need much more range; we need to focus on cost. I think it will surprise people with the level of features it includes.”
He also noted that the Model 3 will be of similar size to the Audi A4.
Teslarati provides more:
Overall, battery costs are declining through advances in manufacturing. Lower costs will lead to significant improvements in the amount of electrical energy that can be stored and to building batteries on a larger scale. Straubel indicated that electric motor costs are also declining. “Basically, every single part of that electric vehicle ecosystem is dropping substantially, he said.
He reminded his audience that when Tesla first began selling the Model S, industry observers thought demand for the car would top out at 3,000 cars. “We’re selling tens of thousands of cars per year,” Straubel said. Once the Model 3 joins the Model S and Model X, Tesla claims it will be selling hundreds of thousands of cars a year.
The Tesla Model 3 reveal is currently set for March 31, the same day that in-store reservations will begin. Online reservations will begin the next day, on April 1.
→ Related: Purported Insider: Model 3 To Be Very Similar To Model S, Just Smaller (Rumor)
Sounds interesting. Was this presentation recorded somewhere?
Maybe on March 31st we will see and hear some solid details on the model 3.