Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Slightly more 'Radical' or a smaller 'Model S'...

Should the Model 3 be...

  • a little more 'Radical'

    Votes: 61 59.2%
  • like a smaller Model S

    Votes: 42 40.8%

  • Total voters
    103
This site may earn commission on affiliate links.

nwdiver

Well-Known Member
Feb 17, 2013
9,398
14,607
United States
Elon's statement that they're going after something slightly 'radical' has me a little concerned about the Model 3... We REALLY need a mainstream EV and most people will view a departure from convention as 'ugly'... at least at first. The last thing we need is a LEAF-ish vehicle with Tesla badging... not that I don't like the LEAF; but most people see it as too 'radical' for their taste. Interested to see what the TMC community thinks...

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Something like this please for the Model 3.

TeslaEE.jpg
 
As a former DeLorean owner who lives in a tight-knit-streets city (San Francisco), I'd be delighted if the Model 3 (which I plan to buy) has two large falcon-wing doors in lieu of four traditional doors. Since it sits so much lower to the ground than X, Model 3 wouldn't run into any potential vertical clearance issues, and being able to fully open the doors with only about 12 inches of horizontal clearance away from the car (which is what the DeLorean is, and presumably about what the X will be), it'd make parking in a city much easier. Not to mention the elegance/sexiness factor.
 
Elon implies there are two proposals within Tesla;one mainstream and one radical.

He is leaning radical but then in the next breadth says this will not be a "wierdmobile."

There is nothing radical about Roadster.

There is nothing radical about the exterior on Model S, the minimalist interior without much storage and large center touchscreen is/was radical.

The only thing radical about the exterior of Model X will be how the door opens, when door is closed it should look fairly conventional.
 
A year ago Franz vH speculated we would see M3 now but that was quickly retracted and we haven't heard anything from him since. The design team has grown in size and his job has expanded to a more directorial role: "charged with driving the overall design direction of Tesla and establishing a world class design competency for all future Tesla products.". Wasn't there an image of a "smaller MS" in clay before that? When Elon says that now they don't have any drawings I wonder if some progress was made but then discarded for a fresh start. I hope Franz still has a heavy hand in the design, his styling even before TM was beautiful.
 
When Elon says that now they don't have any drawings I wonder if some progress was made but then discarded for a fresh start.

When Elon says that they don't have a design drawing of what TM3 will look like, all that means is that they have not decided on which of the drawing they will continue to work from, not that they don't have any drawings. They may even have multiple clay models for all we know...

I think this is what have happened:

Franz starts to design the Model 3. From what HE say, it will be quit different.
Elon see all the success the Model S have, and that a lot of people wants a smaller Model S. Elon tells Franz to start with a smaller Model S. Elon tells people that it will not be all that different after all (yes, at one point he did say that)
Franz finishes both, and show them to Elon.

NOW Elon have seen both, and likes the first design best, but has not yet decided...
 
I'm a very happy Prius owner, so consider the source :wink:, but I really wouldn't mind a Prius-esque design (modified for the skateboard drivetrain, of course). Very roomy, nice and maneuverable, can haul a lot of cargo -- add a frunk for the cherry on top. :smile:
 
I'm a very happy Prius owner, so consider the source :wink:, but I really wouldn't mind a Prius-esque design (modified for the skateboard drivetrain, of course). Very roomy, nice and maneuverable, can haul a lot of cargo -- add a frunk for the cherry on top. :smile:

a terrible idea, imo. prius and leaf/i3 are part of the same line of thinking: eco conscious drivers want something that screams "im eco conscious!!!" the result is ugly car

Something like this please for the Model 3.

View attachment 69599

looks like the veloster.

that's not a compliment.

a good looking car is something like the 3 series. or that new CLA from benz. or the S of course, (but that's too big of course).
 
The essential thing for the design of the Model 3 is to get the CdA down. Aerodynamic drag dominates at highway speeds, and if Tesla want's to achieve 200 miles with an affordable pack, it needs a very significant improvement over the Model S. The model 3 can't be much lower than the S, and it can't be 20 percent narrower -- ergo, the drag coefficient has to better than what is already an industry-leading number on the S. Only the original GM EV1 and VW's XL1 are substantially better.