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Elon Musk tweets Model 3 teaser and clears up misconceptions about Tesla’s latest electric car

Model 3 prototype. (Russ Mitchell / Los Angeles Times)
(Russ Mitchell / Los Angeles Times)
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Elon Musk tweeted a teaser video of a freshly manufactured Tesla Model 3, the mass-market electric sedan due for sale in limited numbers later this year.

For Tesla, the Model 3 is a make-or-break proposition. The renewable energy company has enjoyed much success with its luxury-priced Model S and Model X.

The Model 3, meanwhile, is a relatively affordable mass-market entry into the electric car market, with a base price expected at $35,000 to $40,000. By the end of 2018, Musk has pledged, the company will be churning out hundreds of thousands of them.

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Tesla’s chief executive also used Twitter to clear up any confusion about what the Model 3 is meant to be.

“Am noticing that many people think Model 3 is the ‘next version’ of a Tesla, like iPhone 2 vs 3. This is not true,” Musk tweeted.

“Model 3 is just a smaller more affordable version of Model S. w less range & power & fewer features. Model S has more advanced technology.”

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One example: It will have a single computer screen instead of two.

Because the selling price of the Model 3 will be about half that of the Model S, major achievements in cost control and manufacturing efficiencies will be required to translate the project into profits.

Musk also reprised a joke about how Tesla chose the Model 3’s name with a tweet:

“Model 3 was going to be called Model E, for obvious dumb humor reasons, but Ford sued to block it, so now it is S3X. Totally different :)”

Ford has said it plans to use the Model E name for a future electric car.

russ.mitchell@latimes.com

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Twitter: @russ1mitchell

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