Why is it called the Model 3?

[McHoffa]

Not a big Ford fan, but rewriting history is best left to those who get paid to make up stuff, like modern university professors.

The 'Model E' is a registered trademark of a 200+ miles Ford EV available early 2019 according to Ford.

Model A, Model B, Model C, Model T, Model TT, etc, are proof Ford has already established a history with the 'Model' designator.

Much like the 'Tesla' name choice, do you think it was a coincidence that 'Model' was chosen as a Tesla product name? Not a chance. The obvious move from Roadster would have been Tesla GT (grand touring) or similar, then Tesla EUV (electric utility vehicle) if the goal was simply descriptive naming. "Model" was a marketing decision to evoke a well known image of innovation and dominance of a field.

Even more interesting EV trivia, look up
"Ohio electric" "Model X"
LMGTFY

 

[bonnie]

Roadster's body is made by lotus-thus, it's not fully Tesla made car.
So, model S is 1st,
model X is 2nd
Hence, we have MODEL 3.

Interesting theory, but not what Tesla has said.
Gen 1: Roadster. Demonstrate that electric can be fast, fun, and have range.
Gen 2: Build from the ground up, off information learned from Roadster - slightly more affordable. Model S, Model X.
Gen 3: Mass Market

 

[McHoffa]

Interesting theory, but not what Tesla has said.
Gen 1: Roadster. Demonstrate that electric can be fast, fun, and have range.
Gen 2: Build from the ground up, off information learned from Roadster - slightly more affordable. Model S, Model X.
Gen 3: Mass Market

Yep, those of us that have been following tesla for years remember it being referred to as Gen 3 for a LOOOONG time before the Model 3 name was revealed

 

[daniel]

If they didn't want the simple elegance from upscale cars they compete with (S class, E class, E-type, 7 series,) or the "Model" associations McRat is pointing out, they could have kept the development names - Whitestar is a perfectly reasonable name for the S, and the 3 was Bluestar if I remember right. I don't think I ever saw what the internal name for the X was.

Yeah, I remember when the talk was all about Whitestar and Bluestar. Hey, they could have used names from astronomy, and they'd never run out of choices, like Apple did with the big cat names for OS X. They could call one The Betelgeuse, and they could call one The Horsehead Nubula or just Horsehead, and one could be The Alpha Centauri. Etc. I'd love to have a car called the Horsehead.

Interesting theory, but not what Tesla has said.
Gen 1: Roadster. Demonstrate that electric can be fast, fun, and have range.
Gen 2: Build from the ground up, off information learned from Roadster - slightly more affordable. Model S, Model X.
Gen 3: Mass Market

I see a problem ahead with this system: If Model 3 refers to the third generation being the mass market car, what are they going to call the next third-gen car, and the one after that, and so on? The Model 3a, Model 3b, etc.?

I am a total Tesla fanboy. I love my Roadster and I can't wait to get into my Model 3, and I'd have gotten a Model S if it wasn't the size of a minke whale or if I had a wife and three kids and a couple of Irish wolfhounds. But when it comes to naming cars, they could use a bit more imagination.

 

[Candleflame]

This has baffled me ever since the car was announced. First they made the Roadster. That was car number 1. Then they made the Model S. That was car number 2. Then they made the Model X. That was car number 3. Now, their fourth car is being called the Model 3. What the heck is going on here? I'm pretty sure that Elon Musk can count. ???

Coz Musk, his collegues and Tesla fanboys are all morons who didnt realize the consequences of their in-joke until people hailed Model 3 as the 3rd gen card superceding the Model S.

 

[daniel]

A moron could not have built these cars. A moron could not have built the first private company to send re-supply missions to the ISS. But they certainly have serious shortcomings when it comes to naming their cars.

I do hope you were just joking, though. In any case, we Tesla fanboys and fangirls had nothing to do with choosing those names.

 

[bonnie]

Every single owner gets to name their car. That name comes up on the app, shows on the center screen of the S & X. Outside of that, I've never thought twice about if the name should be more creative or not. (And there are some owners who I'd never let name anything, after seeing what they chose.)

Is there one person here who has 1) ever sat in the driver's seat of their Tesla and thought, 'I'd enjoy this car more if it had a different name?', or, 2) purchased a car because they liked the name so much?

Name your car. Be creative (or not). But personally, I don't care what Tesla names their vehicles. I only was in this thread to hopefully stop a piece of the past from being rewritten (though I think that flew over a few heads).

 

[BluestarE3]

OMG, this moronic car name is going to cause more cancellations than the lack of hatchback and HUD!

That other automotive moron Henry Ford couldn't even recite the alphabet in the correct sequence. Why else would the Model A follow the Model T? And we know how those cars were flops due to their uninspired and illogical names.

 

[McRat]

OMG, this moronic car name is going to cause more cancellations than the lack of hatchback and HUD!

That other automotive moron Henry Ford couldn't even recite the alphabet in the correct sequence. Why else would the Model A follow the Model T? And we know how those cars were flops due to their uninspired and illogical names.

Ugghh... The 1903 Model A name was recycled in ~1930. The Model T is about 1910? Roughly.

Henry Ford paid his workers more, worked them fewer hours, hired blacks (most automakers did not), and made a big profit shortly after issuing stock, 2.5 months after the first Model A was built. He had about the highest employee retention of his era.

Nobody is claiming magic or disease in the naming conventions used by Tesla Motors. But blaming Ford Motor Company is religious, not fact based.

 

[Chopr147]

Cancelling my Model 3 reservation!!!! Once I sat down and really put some thought into the name, Model 3? Come on! What morons! I will not be caught dead driving a car named after a number. Why not name the S model 1 and X model 2? Hmmmmmmmmmm, I did drive a C4 Corvette for a while. Never mind keeping the 3.

 

[boaterva]

Cancelling my Model 3 reservation!!!! Once I sat down and really put some thought into the name, Model 3? Come on! What morons! I will not be caught dead driving a car named after a number. Why not name the S model 1 and X model 2? Hmmmmmmmmmm, I did drive a C4 Corvette for a while. Never mind keeping the 3.

Hope you're in front of us!

 

[JeffK]

Right, it's a new generation from a 'car' point of view (Tesla plan/manufacturing), but not from a 'tech' point of view.

You know this is one thing Elon said in his anti-selling campaign that I think is complete BS. A lot of new tech is going into this car. It might not be consumer facing, but it's still new technology.

Supposedly it's a new motor design
New battery cells: "2170"s (with a new chemistry)
New, more efficient, inverter
Newly redesigned human interface (horizontal center screen)
New steering wheel
New air vents / AC
Improved manufacturing process
New body design (obviously)
New platform for building other vehicles such as Model Y

If rumors are true about improved charging capabilities then there's that too.

 

[boaterva]

You know this is one thing Elon said in his anti-selling campaign that I think is complete BS. A lot of new tech is going into this car. It might not be consumer facing, but it's still new technology.

Supposedly it's a new motor design
New battery cells: "2170"s (with a new chemistry)
New, more efficient, inverter
Newly redesigned human interface (horizontal center screen)
New steering wheel
New air vents / AC
Improved manufacturing process
New body design (obviously)
New platform for building other vehicles such as Model Y

If rumors are true about improved charging capabilities then there's that too.

Yeah, we know.... we'll have to wait until July to see. Or June, if any of the VIPs are allowed to say anything at their special unveiling!

 

[JeffK]

Yeah, we know.... we'll have to wait until July to see. Or June, if any of the VIPs are allowed to say anything at their special unveiling!

I hope if there's an NDA that some people will still whip out their spy cams...

 

[Candleflame]

A moron could not have built these cars. A moron could not have built the first private company to send re-supply missions to the ISS. But they certainly have serious shortcomings when it comes to naming their cars.

I do hope you were just joking, though. In any case, we Tesla fanboys and fangirls had nothing to do with choosing those names.

Model 3 was choosen because there was a massive hype behind the styelized E, as it stood for E and third generation platform. Once they named it Model 3 still with the same styelized E and more people started to become interested in the car people quickly erased the "platform" bit from their memory and just labeled it as Model 3- the third generation car from Tesla.

Even Elon admitted that it was a stupid idea with hindsight.

 

[McHoffa]

Coz Musk, his collegues and Tesla fanboys are all morons who didnt realize the consequences of their in-joke until people hailed Model 3 as the 3rd gen card superceding the Model S.

It is the 3rd gen. X was part of 2nd gen.

 

[McHoffa]

Once they named it Model 3 still with the same styelized E and more people started to become interested in the car people quickly erased the "platform" bit from their memory and just labeled it as Model 3- the third generation car from Tesla.

Model 3 IS the third generation car. X was just a continuation of the S/2nd generation

 

[Candleflame]

Model 3 IS the third generation car. X was just a continuation of the S/2nd generation

yes of course. But that was always a reference to the third generation platform/third generation type and never to the specifications of the car.

However, the hypetrain got it to "3rd generation car following Model S, all the features Model S has at 1/3 of the price. Like Iphone 2 to Iphone 3. No dashboard? How? it MUST have a HUD displaying even MORE information than the Model S."

 

[BluestarE3]

However, the hypetrain got it to "3rd generation car following Model S, all the features Model S has at 1/3 of the price. Like Iphone 2 to Iphone 3. No dashboard? How? it MUST have a HUD displaying even MORE information than the Model S."

That wasn't Tesla's hypetrain. People are going to believe what they are going to believe. Tesla could have named it the Unicorn, Tetras or C3PO and some people still would have imputed some hidden significance to the name.

 

[daniel]

Every single owner gets to name their car. That name comes up on the app, shows on the center screen of the S & X. Outside of that, I've never thought twice about if the name should be more creative or not. (And there are some owners who I'd never let name anything, after seeing what they chose.)

Is there one person here who has 1) ever sat in the driver's seat of their Tesla and thought, 'I'd enjoy this car more if it had a different name?', or, 2) purchased a car because they liked the name so much?

Name your car. Be creative (or not). But personally, I don't care what Tesla names their vehicles. I only was in this thread to hopefully stop a piece of the past from being rewritten (though I think that flew over a few heads).

Of course it's the car that matters, not the name. But it's not like it costs any more to give the car a fun name. And giving your car a personal name is not the same as the car's model name. "What kind of car do you drive?" "I drive George." "Wha???"

... Even Elon admitted that it was a stupid idea with hindsight.

Thank you for that bit of trivia. I feel vindicated.

Model 3 IS the third generation car. X was just a continuation of the S/2nd generation

So what are they going to call the following models within the third generation? Model 3.1, Model 3.2, Model 3.3, etc? Or as I offered earlier, Model 3a, Model 3b, Model 3c etc.?

There's still time, though. They have not started to build the car yet. They could call it the Betelgeuse. That's my favorite. They're already referencing Spaceballs with Ludicrous mode and the promise of Plaid mode for a future incarnation of the Roadster. Why not reference another classic movie for this car's name? Then branch out to other astronomical objects.