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Published on October 28th, 2014 | by Christopher DeMorro

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Tesla Model III Design Could Include SUV And Wagon Versions

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October 28th, 2014 by  

tesla-model-s-wagon-1

Originally posted on GAS2

The Tesla Model III is being designed with a broad audience in mind, Tesla’s vice president of engineering told AutoExpress in a recent interview. This could lead to a wider variety of available models that could include a SUV and station wagon (estate) versions as well.

Elon Musk has time and again set his sights on BMW 3 series as the benchmark for the Model III (formerly called the Model E), promising a $35,000 price point and 200 miles of driving range per charge. But in order to really compete with the class-leading Bimmer, the Model III will have to come in more than just sedan flavors; one of the easier and more obvious choices would be a two-door coupe model, and British-born Tesla’s VP of engineering Chris Porritt says that the door is wide open to any of a number of ideas to broaden the appeal of the Model III. Tesla is doing something similar with the Model X SUV, which shares the same chassis as the Model S sedan, but a station wagon has only been imagined by concept artists so far.

Porritt went on to emphasize that the two most important things to Tesla right now are volume and cost; achieving a comparable price with its primary competition is the only way Tesla can hope to really compete with the likes of BMW, Audi, and other luxury automakers. The Model S makes a compelling case against similarly-priced luxury cars, but the market for $70,000 luxury barges is a lot smaller than the market for entry-level luxury cars like the BMW 3 series. While Tesla’s $32 billion valuation sounds formidable, consider that BMW is worth more than twice as much and has many of the existing manufacturing and supply systems in place that Tesla needs if it ever wants to rival the embedded auto industry.

Elon Musk hopes the Gigafactory will bring costs down far enough to make the Model III as affordable as he keeps claiming, but some analysts have their doubt that Tesla can bring battery costs down far enough. This likely means the Model III will be made from steel instead of aluminum like the Model S, and neat features like the pop-out door handles might not make the transition either.

With a wider range of models though, Tesla’s appeal will grow exponentially. Coupe, SUV, crossover, wagon…what flavor of Model III would get your money?

model-s-wagon

Image: Theophilus Chin

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About the Author

A writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs, can be found wrenching or writing- or esle, he's running, because he's one of those crazy people who gets enjoyment from running insane distances.


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  • djr417

    A small SUV like the Rav4 or a Mazda3 Hatchback with awd would be ideal for me. dont need it for hauling much/often- but with that option plus awd for canadian winters all run on electricity..would be perfect.

  • redav

    I would be very interested in a Tesla wagon, but they will be unpopular compared to sedans & crossovers. A coupe will also be unpopular. However, if they were to offer a platform in any configuration a buyer wants, regardless of overall popularity, they may be able to carve out a nice niche.
    I also would eagerly accept deletion of some of their “fancy” features like the retracting door handles–fewer parts, no extra motors, less weight, less cost. Tesla still needs to improve reliability, and deleting complexity certainly helps.
    The success of the gigafactory will depend on finding enough customers for all those batteries. Tesla wants to sell batteries to other car makers (that’s why they made their patents free to use). Perhaps they can open some new markets for the batteries, such as load-levelers for buildings so they can store cheap electricity at night to use during the day.

  • JesusChristofLateSaints

    …pick up truck? If you drive a Tesla, you can likely afford the 12K for the used truck to haul you $h!t around the 30 or so times per year that most people would max out on actually needing a pick up style vehicle. At all other times the EV is for commuting to an from your job. If you are able to commute using no gasoline or diesel smog goes to zero in the major cities and in general drivers have more money to for other things. This of course is assuming that the EV your driving allows you to have any money left to spend after buying/leasing the car/truck/SUV. BTW I think Tesla is awesome, but any R&D spent on developing a truck as an EV would cause me to short the stock. It’s too hard to make the aerodynamics work in any reasonable manner.

    • Offgridman

      What if we can afford an extra used vehicle for hauling the extra times when it is needed. It still means having to use oil and diesel and contribute money to fossil fuel industry even if it is less than others do. There is still the expense and hassle of tag, insurance, and maintenance, which seems to be more frequent on used seldom run vehicles.
      If they can do things to make the big rigs aerodynamic, such as change the shape of the front, use spoilers or wind dams, and cover the wheel wells, then why not on a pickup truck?
      If I had an electric truck that could carry four passengers, or an electric SUV with a decent tow package, then I could not bother to have an additional vehicle, and just keep rolling off from the free sunshine from my panels or the juice from the Superchargers.
      Feel free to short Tesla if they should develop a truck, but I think it will be your loss. Considering that pickups are one of the most popular vehicles in the US, and if Tesla does as good a job as they did with the Roadster, S, and hopefully X, then it will sell.

    • Mint

      You don’t need magical aerodynamics. You just need to put in a bigger battery, and there’s plenty of room.

      To pay for the bigass battery, you do per-mile financing (similar to Solar City’s “pay for power, not panels”). Pickups get what, 15-20 MPG? So sell mileage at $3 per 20 miles guaranteed (much cheaper than gas) with electricity included, and a pickup doing 15k miles/yr generates $2250/yr in revenue to pay for the battery. Easily $20k profit over 15 years.

      Inefficient cars, whether 400hp+ performance sedans or gas guzzling trucks, are the best candidates to make into EVs.

  • Offgridman

    With what I wish for with an option on the Tesla3, let one be a mid size SUV, or a light to medium duty PU truck with seating for four (king or extended cab). All wheel drive for either, with the ability to carry a half ton or so of cargo, and able to tow a 3000 lb load load when empty.
    The Model X looks great, but it is a little over done on passenger capacity as opposed to being a work vehicle. Give me the AWD, power and range capacity from it, but design it for hauling cargo, and I will be happy.

  • David in Bushwick

    How about a Tesla Taxi EV? There are many markets around the world where a non-polluting taxi or limo would be in popular demand. Panel delivery van?

    • Offgridman

      “Van?”
      Oh yes, just give me the option on hauling passengers or cargo. Most of the time it will not be people, but as an option that would be nice.
      As I just commented, please give us something that can be used as a work vehicle, not just a people hauler.

    • Bob_Wallace

      There are several Model S taxis now working the roads. When the X comes out it may be even more popular for taxi work with its easy entry/exit gull wing doors.

      The Mode 3, if the rear seat is easy to get in and out of, will likely dominate the taxi business.

      I’d like to see the M3 be some sort of a crossover design and give one the ability to fold down the rear seat and use everything behind the front seat for cargo.

  • Jouni Valkonen

    It is not Tesla Model III, but it is rather Tesla Model 3, as Elon Musk said and elaborated the naming of the car.

    Also Model 3 will have AWD as standard and probably 300 mile version will be the most popular battery option.

    • http://gas2.org/ Christopher DeMorro

      III = 3. Roman numerals baby.

      Also Musk indicated the Model III symbol will use horizontal lines, like an E but minus the vertical line. It’s just easier to type III.

  • beernotwar

    I just want a sedan and I want it to cost less than $30k after the tax credit. If that can happen before my Leaf lease runs out in 2017 I’d be really excited.

  • Michael G.

    How about a Tesla Pick-up truck? That is still where Ford and GM make the big profits. Don’t assume people who buy pickups are all Rush Limbaugh-type climate change deniers. A lot of people need it to haul stuff to their construction site, or winery, or such.

    • dcard88

      I would be fine with a hybrid for towing and long distance. Don’t know what issues have stopped that so far. I would have expected Toyota to come through by now.

    • Joseph Dubeau

      Ford truck sales saved them from depths of the great recession.

      • Matt

        Most of those trucks don’t haul anything except some snow now and then. Top sellers in 2013
        1.Ford F-Series- 763,402
        2. Chevrolet Silverado- 480,414
        3. Toyota Camry- 408,484
        4. Honda Accord- 366,678
        5. Ram pickup- 355,673
        6. Honda Civic- 336,180

        So top 2, and 3 of top 5; were trucks. It was great marketing to make people think a truck; which has lower safety and mileage requirements were sexy.

        • Joseph Dubeau

          I don’t understand why Camry, Accord, and Civic list among trucks. People in the south love trucks.
          Believe it or not Elon said Tesla may offer a truck.

          • tmac1

            I think this is top 5 list overall, you and I are confused because trucks are top 2 overall not just top2 truck sellers.

            I agree the number of times 90% of pickups are really used as pickups are likely counted on one or two hands

        • Offgridman

          Even if most people don’t drive a truck for there purpose I sure do. Have kept insurance and tag on mine for years, even though it is only driven for a few thousand miles in any one year.
          Give me a truck or SUV that can be filled up with my solar panels, and I will make it the primary vehicle and give up the other.

    • http://gas2.org/ Christopher DeMorro

      Toyota and Nissan both found out the hard way how difficult it is to break into the American truck market. A Tesla truck sounds great on paper, but that’s something for a well-established automaker to take on, rather than a start-up like Tesla.

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