Model 3 100 kWh battery and Ludicrous Mode [speculation about future developments]

[I<3URANUS]

If Tesla popped in a new version of the Model 3 that had a 100kwh battery pack, it may not make every model 3 obsolete, but it would really annoy enough current owners (especially those who bought in 2019) that Tesla would lose an enormous amount of customer loyalty.

From what I see with Tesla, they will/could do it anyway. But 2nd or 3rd Tesla owners are what Tesla needs to survive. Within a year or two, the competition will be at Tesla’s heels, and Tesla needs to sell new cars to an already established core customer base. Tesla has a marginal reputation now from delivery flakiness - they don’t need to hurt their reputation any further.

They’d have to do it for the Model Y also, and potentially change a bunch of those pre-orders.

But you never know with Tesla do you?

Meh. The car has been out for a while. Why wouldn't you expect an update/upgrade to it? That would be the best thing Tesla could do.

No one (well, no one SHOULD) ever buy a car with the expectation (or whatever is going on in this community) that something better isn't coming next.

This is really bizarre here. I've noticed it a lot.

 

[Msjulie]

No one (well, no one SHOULD) ever buy a car with the expectation (or whatever is going on in this community) that something better isn't coming next.

Agreed, perhaps because Tesla's are more like computers vs traditional ICE cars. You can look at an older 'modern' car and outside the infotainment stuff, the other changes are so minor compared to how quickly EVs and battery tech is changing.

 

[Dan203]

No one (well, no one SHOULD) ever buy a car with the expectation (or whatever is going on in this community) that something better isn't coming next.

Especially because Tesla is more of a tech company. They don't even do traditional model years. They're always working on something new.

 

[hydro 481]

Meh. The car has been out for a while. Why wouldn't you expect an update/upgrade to it? That would be the best thing Tesla could do.

No one (well, no one SHOULD) ever buy a car with the expectation (or whatever is going on in this community) that something better isn't coming next.

This is really bizarre here. I've noticed it a lot.

I agree with what you’re saying but I think us Tesla owners are spoiled by the constant ‘uprgades’ we get through firmware updates. This is one upgrade we obviously won’t get through software so people will moan about it. Not gonna lie,

 

[I<3URANUS]

I agree with what you’re saying but I think us Tesla owners are spoiled by the constant ‘uprgades’ we get through firmware updates. This is one upgrade we obviously won’t get through software so people will moan about it. Not gonna lie,

I understand where you are coming from.

 

[P3D_Owner]

First time poster

I ordered my P3D up here in Canada on Dec 15th, I'm all for Tesla upgrading their battery tech of course but say I take delivery and they come out with the 100kwh P3D... what can I expect wrt trading my current car in fairly recently after buying it assuming it's still in perfect condition... any ideas?

 

[phantasms]

As someone who's last ICE vehicle is coming off lease in May, I sure hope they come out with a 100kwh ludicrous 3. I love our boosted AWD, so why not another 3? Maybe trade the original in for the Cybertruck once it comes out in a couple years.

 

[Sutton 3P]

I’d say this is extremely unlikely in the near future as Tesla has much more important things to focus engineering attention on in the near term than putting a bigger battery in a 3. My guess is the customer base that feels that 75kW is insufficient to the point of paying thousands more is extremely small.

 

[drtimhill]

I suspect we will see something involving the Maxwell technology before we see larger batteries in M3. Besides, the problem with a bigger battery is weight, and if you hardly ever use it then why are you carrying it around all the time.

 

[brur]

I suspect we will see something involving the Maxwell technology before we see larger batteries in M3. Besides, the problem with a bigger battery is weight, and if you hardly ever use it then why are you carrying it around all the time.

Maxwell is more about a faster production. A dry process of manufacture that saves time.

 

[CheeseDaneish]

As a 2019 Q4 M3P owner, I don't feel bad about my purchase at all, and glad I am not still waiting for a Tesla.

 

[phantasms]

I wonder if the code we saw was for the Y. I think they've held back on the Y details, hard. Maybe they get the 100kwh packs to get an easy 300+ range and then while they're at it might as well throw it into a higher priced/faster 3.

 

[ElectricIAC]

TBH while more kWh is a neat idea: I’d rather see them shrink the size, weight and cost of the pack and keep rating the same.

 

[drtimhill]

Maxwell is more about a faster production. A dry process of manufacture that saves time.

.. and also saves weight and (reportedly) volume. Which means either a lighter car with same capacity/range (=faster, more nimble, maybe even a bit more range) or the same weight with much more range. However, I suspect at some point we hit diminishing returns with range. Perhaps at 350-400 miles range and with the SC network where it is, you have pretty much put the range issue to bed.

 

[Beltsbear]

If they come out with a 100kwh battery and ludicrous mode, all they need to do is price it higher to avoid pissing off current buyers. If it is a $5,000 option, not as many people will complain.

 

[ElectricIAC]

If they come out with a 100kwh battery and ludicrous mode, all they need to do is price it higher to avoid pissing off current buyers. If it is a $5,000 option, not as many people will complain.

At 5K I’d still be miffed but less so if offered as an upgrade with core return.

 

[Durzel]

If they come out with a 100kwh battery and ludicrous mode, all they need to do is price it higher to avoid pissing off current buyers. If it is a $5,000 option, not as many people will complain.

I think the effects on the then “Performance but not quite the best performance” would be greater than $5k.

Therein lies the rub. People buying the Performance version are, by and large, doing do because they want the fastest version of the car. They’re chosen to make sacrifices like greater cost, slightly lower range, ride quality (?) for sportier looks, etc for maximum performance. To suddenly not be the fastest version of the car doesn’t invalidate any of its strengths, but it does diminish its status somewhat.

The SR+ and LR are largely insulated from the release of a 100kWh version since both would be markedly cheaper anyway, and neither car is strictly about performance. You could argue a 100kWh version would have more range than the current LR, but the cost difference would make it a non-issue in my opinion.

 

[ElectricIAC]

Not saying I would mind a 100kWh (A true 100+, not 90, 92, or even 97kWh) so I could actually get 300mi out of a P3D+ however it’d be very irking to suddenly not have the best. (Kinda how P85D owners felt)

Again: if the size is effectively the same and Tesla were to offer a hardware upgrade I would highly consider it.

 

[phantasms]

A 100kw ludicrous 3 would essentially be the greatest car ever made.

 

[ElectricIAC]

A 100kw ludicrous 3 would essentially be the greatest car ever made.

Except for maybe a Ludicrous Y.