Tesla Model 3 reservation holders can’t wait to know more about the options that will be available for their vehicle and the most anticipated one is without a doubt the battery pack. What will be the battery pack capacities available?
CEO Elon Musk made a rare comment about it today and confirmed that the top of the line version will be lower than 100 kWh – like the one currently available for the Model S and X.
There was some speculation that since Tesla achieved a 100 kWh battery pack for the Model S and X platform with the 18650 battery cells, it would be able to introduce a similar capacity in the smaller Model 3 with the new more efficient 2170 cells and potentially even higher capacities in future version of the Model S and X.
Musk killed those speculations today after reaffirming that no capacity higher than 100 kWh is planned for the Model S, X or 3.
Though he added that, of course, the Tesla Semi will go above 100 kWh and that the Tesla Pickup will “maybe” go above:
No plans to take X, S (or 3) above 100 kWh. Semi necessarily and pickup truck maybe will go above.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 7, 2017
It’s important to note that while the battery pack capacities are not going higher, it doesn’t mean that the range will not improve. Even if Tesla doesn’t introduce changes to increase total energy capacity, it can improve energy density and make lighter battery packs that can make vehicles travel longer distances.
Since he was only talking about “above” 100 kWh, some thought that maybe the Model 3 still had a chance to have an option at exactly 100 kWh, but Musk killed that hope too by confirming that it will be lower due to the smaller wheelbase:
No, will be lower. Wheelbase can't fit 100.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 7, 2017
It means that the top-of-the-line Model 3 will feature a battery pack with a capacity below 100 kWh. 90 kWh? 85 kWh? Let us know your best guess in the comment section below.
A Tesla executive said last year that the base version of the Model 3 would feature a battery pack smaller than 60 kWh, which leaves a significant range for battery size options: <60 kWh to <100 kWh.
Tesla currently offers 75, 90, and 100 kWh battery packs for the Model S and X, but a software-locked 60 kWh version of the 75 kWh battery pack is available for the Model S.
Considering the Model 3 is significantly smaller and lighter than the S, it should be able to achieve a longer range on the same energy capacity.
Musk said that the base version of the Model 3 will at least have 215 miles of range. As we previously reported, Tesla was planning last year for its top performance version of the Model 3 to achieve a range of over 300 miles. The vehicle should be easily able to achieve that on a battery pack smaller than 100 kWh.
Featured Image: Tesla Model 3 during Motor Trend photoshoot at the Tesla Gigafactory.
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