Why is it called the Model 3?

[McHoffa]

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.?

As stated previously, originally, it was to be called the Model E. Ford blocked that from happening since they had previously applied for that trademark. Probably not worth Tesla's time fighting it, so they just change it.

At that point, they could easily change it to a 3, which just happened to look exactly like the E using the font in Tesla, and still made sense, since it was the first generation 3 car (it was often referred to as "Gen 3" before we knew a name).

Personally, I think they said "Screw Ford. We can get around it and still call it the Model E using our stylized E (the three bars), but on paper it's actually the Model 3."

Then Adidas jumped in to sue, saying the 3 bars looks too close to their 3 bars... again, it's not worth Tesla's time or money fighting in court, even though they probably could have won that one, so it got changed to a number 3.

 

[BluestarE3]

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.

Do people who see a Porsche 911 ask, "A nine hundred eleven? Were there nine hundred and ten car models before it? Is it a 9-1-1 like some kind of emergency car? Really, Porsche needs to change the name from 9-11 to something else because no one wants their car to remind people of that tragic day". Or do they admire the car and say, "Wow, that 911 is a beauty. I wish I had one."

There's still time, though. They have not started to build the car yet.

The Model 3 name already is recognized in popular culture as the highly anticipated next model car from Tesla that will be less expensive. There's no need, indeed it would be a bad idea, to rename the car at this point no matter how sexy any alternative moniker may be.

 

[JeffK]

Pretty sure people don't ask too many questions about the BMW M3 either.

 

[EV-lutioin]

The size of the car probably played into the name. Compact cars commonly use "3" as a designation e.g BMW 3-Series, Mazda 3 etc., Audi a3.

 

[McRat]

It was called Model 3 because Model Ivanka was taken?

 

[daniel]

Do people who see a Porsche 911 ask, "A nine hundred eleven?

That's a poor name for a car, too, IMO. There are a lot of dumb car names out there. But just as Tesla is an innovative leader in automotive technology, they could have put some innovation into their car names.

But anyway, I thank everyone for answering my question as to why they call this car the Model 3. I really didn't understand the choice, and you've given some comprehensible reasons for it.

 

[JeffK]

That's a poor name for a car, too, IMO. There are a lot of dumb car names out there. But just as Tesla is an innovative leader in automotive technology, they could have put some innovation into their car names.

But anyway, I thank everyone for answering my question as to why they call this car the Model 3. I really didn't understand the choice, and you've given some comprehensible reasons for it.

There is a story behind the 911 name. Like the Tesla Model 3 is was changed due to a naming conflict as it was originally supposed to be 901 as that was the project design number...

Besides the Roadster, Tesla has been more about functional names:
Tesla Model S was named that way because it's a Sedan (with a hatchback)
Model X was because it's a crossover.

 

[MTN Ranger]

There is a story behind the 911 name. Like the Tesla Model 3 is was changed due to a naming conflict as it was originally supposed to be 901 as that was the project design number...

Besides the Roadster, Tesla has been more about functional names:
Tesla Model S was named that way because it's a Sedan (with a hatchback)
Model X was because it's a crossover.

What's even worse is that Peugeot didn't even have a car called the 901. Peugeot objected to any car name that had "0" in the middle of the name because it was their naming convention. So in 1964, Porsche had to change 901, 904 and 906.

Porsche 901 - Wikipedia