Tesla has had its hands full for the past few years ramping up production of the Model 3 sedan. Now the automaker wants to continue building its lineup with additions in several popular segments.
After production of the Model Y crossover and Roadster sports car is scheduled to begin next year, the automaker says it will turn to an electric pickup in a direct challenge to the Detroit 3 and other electric vehicle startups such as Rivian.
But challenges remain. It's unclear where Tesla will build many of its future products. And with CEO Elon Musk's history of missed targets and failed promises, it remains to be seen whether everything he has promised through his Twitter account will come to pass.
Small vehicle: Musk last year said Tesla could build a small vehicle priced at $25,000 around 2021. No further details have been given, and it's unclear if Tesla still plans the vehicle.
Model 3: After years of promises and a trip through "production hell," Tesla's vision of a $35,000 Model 3 appears dead. The automaker this year raised the base prices of all Model 3 trims by $400. The cheapest model is now $36,600 including shipping, and that's available only by special order at a Tesla store. The Model 3 earned a Top Safety Pick Plus award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the institute said this month.
Model S: Musk said on Twitter he plans production of a seven-seat, three- motor Plaid variant of the Model S for late next year with performance beyond the sedan's Ludicrous Mode. A long-awaited Model S redesign is expected in 2022.
Roadster: Tesla plans to produce a new version of its original nameplate late next year. The four-seat sports car will be priced at $200,000, although Tesla said the first 1,000 built, which it calls the Founders Series, will sell for $250,000. During the car's 2017 reveal, Musk said it would give a "hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars" with a 0-to-60-mph time of 1.9 seconds, a 620-mile range and a top speed of more than 250 mph.
