When Tesla revealed the Model 3 last year, reports suggested it would have a claimed range of up to 300 miles on an 80 kWh battery pack. Now we know why the sedan won’t have the larger 100 kWh battery pack available on Tesla’s Model S and X: it’s too small.
Tesla founder Elon Musk confirmed the revelation on Twitter in response to a question about whether the Model S P100D would carry anything larger than a 100 kWh battery. The wheelbase is too small, he said.
Musk revealed Tesla’s plans for a future semi-truck and pickup may facilitate a larger battery than 100 kWh. As The Verge, which first pointed out Musk’s remarks, noted, the smaller battery’s going to keep the Model 3 at a lower range than other Tesla vehicles: the Model S 100D has an estimated range of 335 miles, and the Model X 100D has up to 295 miles.
Musk has said 100 kWh might be the cap for Tesla’s vehicles, but the news confirms the Model 3 will likely have a range akin to competitors like the Chevy Bolt (238 miles).
There’s also Tesla would-be competitors, like Lucid, who in particular wants to have a car in production by 2018 that, if consumers option for it, could carry a 130 kWh battery pack and produce a claimed range of up to 400 miles.