After much anticipation and speculation, the Tesla Model 3 has finally been revealed at the Tesla Design Studio in Hawthorne, Calif. Priced from $35,000, the Model 3 will be the company’s entry-level model when it goes on sale.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk called tonight “Part 1 of the Model 3 unveil,” and said the second part would come closer to production. Still, the executive had much to reveal. Though no technical details were divulged, Musk said the Model 3 will accelerate to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds. He also said versions that go much faster will be available, and a cutaway diagram hinted at the availability of dual-motor all-wheel drive. In addition, the car will have an EPA-rated range of at least 215 miles and will be rated five stars in every safety category. The car will come standard with Autopilot hardware and “comfortable” seating for five adults. Like the Model S, the Model 3 will feature a front and rear trunk. Supercharging standard 3,600 Superchargers worldwide by end of 2017 will double that number and quadruple the number of destination chargers 215 to 441 Tesla stores
Although the Chevrolet Bolt EV hatchback, which starts at $37,500 before government incentives and has a range of at least 200 miles, will be the Model 3’s primary all-electric competition, the EV sedan is intended to go up against compact premium models like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
The Model 3 joins the Model S sedan and recently launched Model X SUV. Musk originally wanted to name the car Model E so that Tesla’s lineup would spell out “SEX,” but legal threats from Ford forced the name change. However, since the number 3 doubles as the letter E in leet speak, the hacker language known to many tech-savvy consumers, Musk still gets his lewd Easter egg.
With the reveal of the Model 3, Tesla moves into the next phase of the plan it devised a decade ago. In 2006, Musk published his “secret master plan” outlining Tesla’s future, in which he detailed the Model S and an “even more affordable car.” “In keeping with a fast-growing technology company, all free cash flow is plowed back into R&D to drive down the costs and bring the follow-on products to market as fast as possible,” Musk wrote. “When someone buys the Tesla Roadster sports car, they are actually helping pay for development of the low-cost family car.”
Also helping to make the Model 3’s lower price point possible is Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada, which will eventually be able to produce battery packs on such a large scale that the per-kWh cost is reduced by more than 30 percent. The Gigafactory is set to begin production in 2017, with production of the Model 3 to follow in late 2017 at Tesla’s Fremont, Calif., plant. Future production capacity of that facility is estimated at 500,000 units per year. Musk said he’s “fairly confident” that deliveries will begin next year. At the time of the press conference, Musk said Tesla had received 115,000 orders for the Model 3.
As the auto industry shifts much of its focus to technology, FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne is looking in new places for possible collaborations. However, what that collaboration will be has yet to be revealed.
Google and Apple are just two giants that have dipped their toes into the automotive spectrum with self-driving technology. With vehicles relying more heavily on computers, new business opportunities are presenting themselves, and rivalries will no doubt pop up when tech companies start aligning themselves with specific automakers.
“We have parallel conversations with many players who are outside the auto sector at the moment,” Marchionne said at a press conference, reports Reuters.
While FCA may have strong footholds in the North American and Latin American markets, it’s weak in China. Any partnership moving forward would have to boast a strong presence in that market, Marchionne said.
The move to partner with companies outside the auto sector seems like a departure from the past, when FCA reportedly courted General Motors for a possible merger. We also hear Marchionne is currently discussing a production partnership to build its small cars. It wants to contract out the building of the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart to someone else as the company focuses on producing larger vehicles.
Mitsubishi Electric is putting military technology into self-driving cars, according to a new report. These autonomous cars are expected to arrive in the next several years.
The company, which of course is linked to the same Mitsubishi that builds cars, supplies Japan’s armed forces with air-to-air missiles. Mitsubishi’s self-driving vehicles, in turn, will use technologies that were developed to guide missiles. An array of features, including millimeter-wave radars as well as sonars, sensors, and cameras, will help the cars detect obstacles and avoid collisions.
Katsumi Adachi, a senior chief engineer with Mitsubishi, says these self-driving vehicles will be on the road by 2020. “All we have to do is to put together the components that we already have. None of our competitors have such a wide array of capabilities,” he told Bloomberg.
Although other companies have a head start when it comes to self-driving cars, Adachi declares Mitsubishi will do it better. By next year, the company will offer advanced systems that benefit from Mitsubishi’s expertise in high-precision sensors and electric power steering, Adachi claims.
In the year beginning April 2017, Mitsubishi will start producing the components for lane-keeping and automatic braking systems. In the following fiscal year, Mitsubishi could start making automatic parking systems.
We haven’t heard as much about Mitsubishi’s plans for autonomous cars as we have with some other automakers. But at last year’s Tokyo auto show, we saw Mitsubishi bring out the electric eX concept with automated driving technology. To further its goals for autonomous vehicles, Mitsubishi is expanding its satellite network that can send up-to-date location data to vehicles. Three more satellites orbiting over Japan by 2018 will help provide pertinent data to vehicles around the clock.
Meanwhile, the demand for these automated technologies is booming. According to IHS Automotive, the market for driver assistance features like collision warning and auto braking is expected to double in annual revenue by 2021.
The Tesla Model 3 won’t be revealed until later tonight, but that hasn’t stopped people from waiting hours—some even days—in line to place an order for the upcoming electric car.
The EV automaker began taking reservations today at its stores around the world as soon as its doors opened at 10 a.m. local time. According to Australian news outlet Special Broadcasting Service, the first reservation was nabbed by Andreas Stephens from Australia, who waited two days in front of a Tesla dealership in Sydney with just a folding chair and backpack full of food. The line eventually stretched to over 60 feet long before the dealership began taking orders.
Similar stories unfolded around the world. Tesla’s social media channels featured photos of eager people waiting to put down a reservation deposit ($1,000 in the U.S.). Some set up tents while other braved cold weather and the elements. The scene isn’t much different from the release of a new Apple product or a Black Friday sale.
Tesla will unveil the Model 3 at its Southern California design center this evening at 8:30 p.m. PST (head to www.motortrend.com for full coverage). Online reservations will open an hour prior to the reveal.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been relatively active on Twitter, providing live Model 3 news. Among the tweets, Musk says he is “incredibly inspired by the interest in Model 3. You won’t be disappointed.” He also reminds us that there is indeed a limit on Tesla Model 3 orders, so those wanting to snatch up a dozen reservations are out of luck.
Model 3 orders, whether in store or online, are limited to two per person
A new report from our colleagues at AUTOMOBILE states that PSA Peugeot Citroen will confirm the entry of its DS premium brand to the U.S. market as part of a highly anticipated expansion plan announcement on April 5. This information comes from a well-placed source who spoke with our sister publication.
The announcement should give details and timing as to when the French brand will return to North America. Iran is also expected to be included in PSA’s international expansion plans, AUTOMOBILE reports.
Citroen revealed DS as a separate brand at the 2015 Geneva auto show and introduced it first in China in 2016. Currently, the DS lineup in China includes the DS3 subcompact two-door, the DS4 hatchback, DS4 Crossback crossover, the DS5 hatchback, the DS5 5LS sedan, and the DS6 crossover. At the 2016 Geneva auto show, DS showed the E-Tense, an electric sports car concept.
AUTOMOBILE suggests it’s likely DS will come to the U.S. with the same lineup as in China, but with the addition of a halo sports car. However, it’s unlikely that we are going to get the current DS models, as the DS3 has been out since 2010. It’s also unknown whether the current designs will meet crash test standards in the U.S.
In Europe and China, DS models are Citroen vehicles with top-spec features and their own unique grilles and badges. Engines include diesels, a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder, and a 1.6-liter turbo-four, which is rated between 163 hp and 200 hp in performance-oriented vehicles.
In terms of pricing, DS vehicles could range from $25,000 to $40,000 depending on the model. Considering it’s a premium brand, DS could command better profit margins in the U.S. than had Citroen launched more mainstream models. Launching DS in the U.S., however, means Citroen will faces many challenges including establishing its own dealer network. Globally, PSA has an alliance with Toyota for the joint production of city cars such as the Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo, and another with Mitsubishi, which builds rebadged i-MiEVs called the Citroen C-Zero.
This year’s New York International Auto Show felt more jam-packed with new car debuts than years past, and that in large part had to do with how many new models Toyota and other manufacturers showed off. Not content with the New York launch of the new 2017 Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, Toyota also unveiled a significantly refreshed 2017 Highlander, a nip-and-tucked 2017 Corolla 50th Anniversary Edition, and the de-Scion-ized Toyota 86 sports car. Toyota’s group vice president and general manager Bill Fay was the man responsible for shepherding all four new cars out into the bright lights of the Javits Center, and after their debut, we spent five minutes talking to him about Toyota’s new Prius Prime, Mirai, and some future Toyota product.
Motor Trend: The new Prius Prime represents a drastic departure from the old Prius/Prius Plug-In Hybrid relationship. What was the rationale for making the Prius Prime its own unique product with its own look inside and out versus just a plug-in version of the new Prius?
Bill Fay: I think it’s nice to see we’re able to sell and market a car that has quite a bit of [visual] differentiation; I think that’s going to allow us to really take the Prius Prime and separate it a bit from Prius. The initial feedback has been much more positive than anything—although it is a bit polarizing.
We all in the industry still have some work to do in order to make the mainstream customer be able to differentiate a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, and an electric vehicle from each other. That becomes our continued biggest challenge, but it’s an industry challenge. It’s not just a Toyota challenge. I think within that to be able to have some styling that differentiates the hybrid and the plug-in, and maybe a different name now with Prius Prime, I think that will help us accomplish some of that differentiation.
MT: How has Toyota dealt with the challenge of helping customers understand the differences between hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles?
BF: Even within Zero Emission Vehicle states, our research on Prius Prime shows there’s a gap between the states in the recognition of those three types of vehicles and the benefits state by state. As we mentioned, we’re going to sell the plug-in Prius Prime in all 50 states, which we’re excited to do, but we’re going to do it very carefully. That education is going to have to be ramped up more. We’re going to have to have to try to accomplish all that very targeted and efficiently, and we’ll have to do a lot of it online and through creative ways to help customers understand the differences and benefits of each.
MT: There’s a lot of talk about the Prius Prime’s four-passenger seating configuration. Why go for four seats when you’ve got the room for five?
BF: You know, our research indicates that [the fifth seat] wasn’t a real big purchase reason. It’s nice to have, but I think the overall package of the Prius Prime fits the person that’s going to buy that car. I don’t think we’re going to lose much business at all because it’s a four-seater, and like everything else, once we start selling it and we get some customer feedback, we can always make some adjustments if needed. I think the real feedback we got is there’s not a lot of five-passenger activity going on in those vehicles, so I think the overall package is very efficient, and it’s efficient in the way it was set up for four passengers.
MT: Did the fact that General Motors reached the opposite conclusion with the Chevrolet Volt, adding a fifth seat to the new generation, give you any pause?
BF: I think we look at all that stuff, but a lot of the info we got showed that it was not going to be one of the top purchase considerations for the vehicle, so we decided to put our attention toward some of the things that will be and tried to make those class-leading.
MT: One of the biggest purchase considerations for the Chevrolet Volt has been its electric-only range, which is now at 53 miles with the new generation. Why not try to match the Volt’s range instead of going with a smaller battery and 22 miles of estimated range?
BF: I think the company took all those key purchase considerations and decided to try and find the right balance so that we can have a compelling story for customers. It’s the 120 mpg-e. It’s the overall range that improves almost 100 (from the Prius Plug-In) into the 630 range on a full tank of fuel. It’s the 22 (miles of range). It’s the time that it takes to charge a vehicle, so we’re going to be charged from a normal outlet faster than Volt or, I think, anything else on the market. So I think there’s several key points, and if you just focus in on that electric range, we’re a bit short. But I think if you look at the overall package, I think we have a really compelling story and something that I think overall will really appeal to customers.
MT: Speaking of compelling story, how has the hydrogen fuel cell Toyota Mirai done thus far?
BF: The numbers are slow, but that’s what we anticipated. If anything, in California we’ve gotten a little bit out ahead of the infrastructure, so we’re trying to make sure we take a half a step back, work a little bit harder with our business partners that are out working on the infrastructure with, and see if we can’t get the stations that are planned to come up in the next six months on schedule and the ones that are already online to get their reliability to improve a little bit from what it’s been. I think it’s been pretty much in line with what we expected, though the infrastructure has maybe taken a tad longer than what we thought, but as you look at that, I don’t know that that’s a big surprise.
MT: What are customers saying about the car?
BF: Customer feedback has been extremely positive on the car, the technology, and the drivability—a lot of the key reasons they buy it. There’s still some frustrations about stations, mainly locations and [sometimes those stations are down], but most of the challenges at this point are still kind of connecting the infrastructure to refuel the product.
MT: Although a gasoline-free Toyota lineup by 2050 has garnered attention, so has the new Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA). Will that eventually underpin the whole Toyota lineup?
BF: Everything moves to the new global architecture over time. Cars will essentially happen before we roll them over to trucks. It will happen over the next several years, and we’re excited to slowly roll those out and incorporate those benefits to what we do from a sales and marketing standpoint.
MT: The Toyota C-HR subcompact crossover will be the next vehicle in the U.S. to ride on TNGA. Does a small crossover present any unique challenges for this market?
BF: I think it’s going to take learning from RAV4 and the growth of that segment [to be successful] because it’s so dynamic and growing so fast that it’s pulling some of those older buyers, it’s pulling from millennials, and it’s pulling from all parts of the market. As you finalize the development of a product that’s going to be offered in the lineup right below (RAV4), I think you’ve got to take into account some of the purchase considerations that people are buying small sport utilities for. [We need to] make sure they’re incorporated into C-HR and be able to put together a compelling package so that you have all the benefits of those sport utilities, but you have enough utility in them for a smaller version of what RAV4 offers. We think we have a nice mix of a quirky and compelling look [with C-HR] and a good efficient package inside, so I think we’ll deliver a pretty good product about a year from now.
Ford has issued three separate recalls affecting a total of more than 43,000 vehicles in the U.S. These vehicles include certain Ford Transit vans, Lincoln MKC and Ford Explorer SUVs, and F-650 and F-750 heavy-duty trucks.
2015-2016 Ford Transit vans
The Problem: In certain Transit vans, the side-curtain airbags may be positioned improperly on one or both sides of the vehicle. This problem can hinder the performance of these airbags in the event of a crash. The automaker isn’t aware of any accidents or injuries caused by the issue.
The Fix: Ford dealers will inspect the side-curtain airbags and adjust them as needed. All repairs will be performed at no cost to the customer.
Number of Vehicles Potentially Affected: This recall affects certain 2015-2016 low-roof Ford Transit vans produced between March 12, 2014 and March 18, 2016 at the automaker’s Kansas City Assembly Plant. In the U.S., Ford is recalling 37,066 units.
2015-2016 Lincoln MKC, 2016 Ford Explorer
The Problem: The engine block design, in tandem with the particular block heater installed in these vehicles, can cause overheating. This can happen when the vehicle is parked and the block heater is plugged in. Ford knows of two underhood fires that occurred in Canada because of the issue. But so far, no vehicle accidents or injuries have been reported.
The Fix: Dealers will remove and replace the engine block heater with an updated design. If needed, they will also replace the cord free of charge.
Number of Vehicles Potentially Affected: The recall affects a total of 1,543 vehicles in the U.S. These models are equipped with the optional engine block heater and include certain 2015-2016 Lincoln MKCs built at Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant between November 25, 2013 and January 25, 2016 and 2016 Explorers build at the Chicago Assembly Plant from October 20, 2014 and January 28, 2016.
2015-2016 Ford F-650, F-750
The Problem: Certain F-650 and F-750 trucks may have faulty parking brake cable connector clips. The clips, which may not be made to correct specifications, can break and allow the vehicle to move unintentionally. Ford is not aware of any accidents, injuries, or fires related to the problem.
The Fix: Ford will replace the connector clip at no cost to consumers.
Number of Vehicles Potentially Affected: In this batch of Ford recalls, 4,654 F-650 and F-750 trucks in the U.S. are affected. The vehicles were built at the Escobedo Assembly in Mexico from January 28, 2015 through April 23, 2015, and at the Ohio Assembly Plant between January 31, 2015 and November 30, 2015.
