Tesla 3: First "Production" Vehicle Rolled Out

Elon Musk’s latest tweet says – Tesla expects to complete production of “SN1” (or “Serial Number one”) of the Model 3, it’s first electric car for the masses.

Model 3 passed all regulatory requirements for production two weeks ahead of schedule. Expecting to complete SN1 on Friday

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 3, 2017

The Model 3 will start at $35,000, making it the cheapest in Tesla’s range. And, the automaker already has over 400,000 pre-orders which it expects to start customer deliveries in the second half of 2017. Due to the waiting list, customers preordering a Model 3 in May 2016 are expected to be able to purchase it at the earliest in late 2018. Any new reservations made after mid-2016 will be delivered in 2018 or later as production at Tesla ramps up to 500,000 cars per year.

After the two Alpha prototypes (silver and black; red is a shell) were shown in April 2016, Tesla finished the design in late July 2016. Tesla ordered parts equivalent to 300 Beta prototypes in August 2016, preparing for development of the assembly line. Once the production line is operational, the factory can make release candidates for testing before actual production begins.

Model 3, which was reported to be rolled from assembly line this month (July 7, 2017), is the handiwork of Tesla’s chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen. When the car was unveiled in March 2016, it set a slightly new direction for the carmaker. The front fascia, for example, lacked any conventional automotive cues, such as a grille – an unnecessary element, of course, because Teslas don’t need to inhale air to burn gasoline.

Red Tesla Model 3 at the March 31, 2016, unveiling event, Hawthorne, California. / Source: Wikipedia

Company officials said the base model of the all-electric car will have a range of over 215 miles (346 km), a five-passenger seating capacity, front and rear trunks, and will be able to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.6 seconds (0 to 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds). Tesla’s Model 3 designed to achieve a “5-Star Safety Rating” and is expected to have a drag coefficient of Cd=0.21. This will be lower than the Tesla Model S drag coefficient of Cd=0.24, which in 2014 was the lowest among current production cars.

Robert Cumberford, a widely known car design critic, says the Model 3 “is an excellent design” and praised the front fascia skin that he thinks is superior to the painted surrogate grille of the pre-refresh Model S. MotorTrend viewed the nose as intriguing.The Model 3 has been compared to the Ford Model T, for its intended affordability as a volume-produced electric vehicle.

The Model 3 is expected to define the future of the electric mobility for the masses and the company’s fortune. The company plans to enter the following countries for the first time with the Model 3 – India, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, and Ireland.

Cover Image Attribute: Tesla Model X (left) and Model 3 (right) at the unveiling event on March 31, 2016./ Source: Wikipedia

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