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Is Tesla planning to release two models at once?

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The article has been updated:
(Update: A Tesla Spokesperson called this report “wrong” and that only 1 of the vehicles would be announced in March.
Tesla is indeed working on [at least] 2 different Model 3 platform vehicles which we reported previously.



I don't think that Model 3 and Model Y will both be released at the same time. This guy seems to, though: Model 3 surprise: Tesla is preparing to announce 2 vehicles in March | Electrek

The clear implications is that Model 3 and Y will both be announced concurrently in March. Nothing would make me happier, as I would put down 1 reservation for each car. However, I highly doubt that I will see this happen... just because that would be an incredible secret for Tesla to keep, even this long and because nothing in my life has ever worked out that perfectly.
model-3-roadmap.jpg



In the recent presentation in Hong Kong a graphic showed the Roadster on the left, the S and X together in the middle, and two silhouettes together on the right. The silhouettes looked a lot like the S and X pair and so are not shape specific but the fact that there are two shapes could suggest a near-term plan to have two models.

model-3-model-y.jpg
 
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No engineering problems to delay the Y this time, since they solved them with the X.

And that's what was said about the X. "No delays since they solved all the issues with the S." It's a well documented fallacy known as the "Tesla Will Deliver On Time Fallacy." You may have experienced its close relative, "This Simple Project I'm Working On Will Only Take About An Hour Fallacy".
 
Since you do a double post, I double answer ;)

[image of product roadmap]

Yes, this is a slide J.B. used on his talks for a while. Then someone her on TMC speculated on that *Model 3* actually would came in sedan and CUV based on this picture, and a journalist probably read that and wrote an article about it. So suddenly the hole Internet "knew" that it was true. And J.B. silently changed that slide with one that mentioned the same Gen-III sedan/CUV as Elon has been talking about instead.
 
In the recent presentation in Hong Kong a graphic showed the Roadster on the left, the S and X together in the middle, and two silhouettes together on the right. The silhouettes looked a lot like the S and X pair and so are not shape specific but the fact that there are two shapes could suggest a near-term plan to have two models.
Hmm .. S & X didn't get released one after the other quickly. That graphic says nothing about timing - so why would you say "could suggest a near-term plan to have two models" ?
 
Might I suggest that everyone who believes there is 'no way' that Tesla Motors will deliver Generation III vehicles on time not place an order or reservation for them until 2019 or 2020? Thanks.

I may be in the minority here, but I think Tesla will get it sort-of, almost right this time. I think that they're really serious about getting this car out when they say. I'll [hopefully] be putting down two reservations and looking forward to early to mid-2018 delivery of our cars.
 
I may be in the minority here, but I think Tesla will get it sort-of, almost right this time. I think that they're really serious about getting this car out when they say. I'll [hopefully] be putting down two reservations and looking forward to early to mid-2018 delivery of our cars.

I also hope that the optimism of punctuality for this model sticks to schedule.
 
I think there will be a slight delay (slight for Tesla... about 1 year?) between the 3 and the Y.

Any thoughts on how these will fair with the competition that is planned to come out just ahead of these? (200 mi range Bolt and Leaf for about $30K each)
 
I want to get a Model ≡ Coupe. I figure it probably won't come along until 2019 or so, and probably as a Cabriolet. Which wouldn't be bad, it's just that I'd love to have a Tesla Coupe with Falcon Wing Doors too. Reality is that Sedan, Crossover, and Wagon varieties will likely appear first -- with good reason.
 
I think there will be a slight delay (slight for Tesla... about 1 year?) between the 3 and the Y.

Any thoughts on how these will fair with the competition that is planned to come out just ahead of these? (200 mi range Bolt and Leaf for about $30K each)

The Model 3 and Y are meant for large sales volumes and will therefore will not scream "look at me I'M an EV". I would look for styling to compete with the BMW 3 and Audi A4. I think the target market is up the scale from Bolt, Volt, Leaf.
 
...I think we will see the story of the Model X repeat itself. Once they find that there is significant demand for the Model 3 to remain supply limited for several years, the Model Y will be placed on the back burner.
I don't think the MS demand caused the MX delay. I think they folded in the 'D' to the MS to fill the gap while they battled w/ MX delays. It also had the benefit of increasing performance and efficiency while also putting real miles on the drivetrain for the MX.

I am with the hopeful doubters. Sure it'd be great if Tesla revealed both Gen-3 cars, but I think they'll get the M≡ going before trying to expand to the MY. Elon has mentioned the MY will likely have FW doors. So I doubt they are ready to put more demand on that system.
 
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I don't think the MS demand caused the MX delay. I think they folded in the 'D' to the MS to fill the gap while they battled w/ MX delays. It also had the benefit of increasing performance and efficiency while also putting real miles on the drivetrain for the MX.
I definitely think the Model S demand caused the Model X delays. Maybe not intentionally, but once basically the entire engineering staff was busy making the Model S a huge success, there was no one left to work on the Model X for the longest time. I've seen this in some companies I've worked at. Securing the short term profits is priority number one, securing the long term profits is priority number two, and all necessary resources are dedicated to priority number one. After all the necessary resources have been assigned to priority number one, whatever resources happens to be left can work on priority number two.
 
I definitely think the Model S demand caused the Model X delays. Maybe not intentionally, but once basically the entire engineering staff was busy making the Model S a huge success, there was no one left to work on the Model X for the longest time. I've seen this in some companies I've worked at. Securing the short term profits is priority number one, securing the long term profits is priority number two, and all necessary resources are dedicated to priority number one. After all the necessary resources have been assigned to priority number one, whatever resources happens to be left can work on priority number two.

A lot of companies, especially American companies are overly focused on short term profits, but I don't see that with Tesla. If they were, they would be cranking the production lines to make Model Ss and they wouldn't be building the Gigafactory, the supercharger network, or developing the Model X and 3.

Tesla has only had minimal engineering staff assigned to the Model S for quite some time. The dual motor design came as a bonus with the work on the Model X, so did the 90 KWh battery. The reasons for all the Model X delays was the complexity of the design and to some extent problems with suppliers. Having to switch suppliers for the falcon wing doors last year threw a six month delay in pretty much all by itself. The falcon wing doors also have ultrasonic sensors embedded in the door, which nobody has ever done before.

The front windshield is also a very complex piece of mechanical engineering. It's the largest windshield ever put in a car and a complex shape to boot. That's been a supply nightmare and was probably quite a headache for design too. The middle row seats are very complex and they had a lot of problems with suppliers for those too. I believe Tesla took over making those when their supplier flaked out.

The Model X was delayed, not because too much engineering was going into the Model S (almost every improvement on the Model S in the last two years started with the Model X program), but because the Model X was too complex a design which resulted in both a lot of bugs that needed to be worked out during development, but also caused a lot of problems for suppliers and delays getting parts from suppliers. I suspect the Model X will always take longer to assemble than the Model S. Some parts of them will also be very expensive to fix because of the complexity.
 
The Model X was delayed, not because too much engineering was going into the Model S (almost every improvement on the Model S in the last two years started with the Model X program), but because the Model X was too complex a design which resulted in both a lot of bugs that needed to be worked out during development, but also caused a lot of problems for suppliers and delays getting parts from suppliers.

And how do you know all the improvements started with the Model X program? Source please.
 
And how do you know all the improvements started with the Model X program? Source please.

Sorry, looking at what I wrote, I missed saying that I think those changes started with the Model X program. Elon did say the 90 KWh battery came from the Model X and I would not be surprised if the dual motor design came from that too. Autopilot may have been a separate development that isn't tied to any car program.