Take that, BMW! Tesla names its BMW 3 Series-rivaling, mid-size sedan the ‘Model III’

By Stephen Edelstein July 16, 2014

tesla names next sedan model iii s 1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

For a model that won’t appear for over a year, we know a lot about Tesla’s third-generation electric car.

Because Tesla is targeting the segment-defining BMW 3 Series with this new small sedan, it’s possible to make educated guesses about its size and price. However, its name has been a mystery.

Reports suggested it would be called Model E, until Tesla said it wasn’t.

The speculation is over through. Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed the car’s name to Auto Express in a recent interview.

It’s called Model III.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientists to realize what the letters “S”, “E”, and “X” spell, and Musk apparently found that as amusing as any 12-year-old would, choosing the Model E name until Ford sued.

“I thought this is crazy, Ford’s trying to kill sex,” Musk said. Model III it is, then.

The Model III will reportedly be unveiled in 2016 and go on sale by 2017. It will ride on a new platform and feature styling that differentiates it from the larger Model S and Model X.

It will also have a range of around 200 miles, and a base price of around $35,000 to compete with the vaunted Bimmer.

That lower price will be made possible in part by a lithium ion battery cell “Gigafactory”, which will produce cells on a large enough scale to meet Tesla’s insatiable demand while keeping costs down.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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