Later today Tesla will unveil its Model 3 today, their most affordable electric sedan that has been part of the company’s “master plan” for a decade. It’s not just a new car. It’s a new vehicle platform, giving Tesla the flexibility to add new exterior shapes with relative ease. The company has said the Model 3 will include a sedan and will also be the basis for a 4×4 SUV or crossover. CEO Elon Musk has also talked about his desire to build a pickup truck at some point.
It is rumored that the Model 3 will have a 65 kilowatt-hour battery pack and a range per charge of about 362km. Measured as kilowatt hours per kg or liter, the “energy density” of a battery determines range: The more watt hours, the more miles a vehicle can travel on a charge. High energy density at low cost is the holy grail of the battery industry.
The new cells in the Model 3 will have roughly 35% more energy than each cell in Tesla’s Model S and Model X.
