√Specifications of Tesla’s smaller, cheaper electric car teased

Tesla’s new range of small cars could offer close to 500km of driving range, if battery specifications published in a company report are a guide.

Tesla has provided a preview of the specifications it plans to endow upon its hotly-anticipated range of cheaper and smaller electric cars due in the coming years.

The US electric-car specialist has previously confirmed a next-generation range of cars smaller than today’s Model 3 mid-size sedan, that cost half as much to build thanks to new production processes – but no technical details have been shared.

But details in a new document – the Master Plan 3, the written version of a presentation given to investors last month detailing Tesla’s vision for “sustainable energy for all of earth” – may be a teaser of the battery pack planned for the upcoming models.

In a section outlining the future global vehicle fleet, the Tesla report lists a “compact” model smaller than the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, with a 53kWh battery pack using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry.

MORE: Tesla’s next-generation small electric car another step closer

Although a “Tesla equivalent” small car is shown as “to be determined” – and the specifications are listed as estimations for the class of car, not one model specifically – they give an indication of what Tesla believes to be the optimal battery capacity for small electric cars, and by extension, its own.

The company does not say how much driving range a 53kWh battery pack would translate to in a future Tesla small electric car.

For context, the entry-level, rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3 sedan uses a 60kWh LFP battery for 491km of claimed driving range according to European WLTP testing.

Assuming the new small car is more energy efficient – due to its smaller and lighter body, as well as improvements to the electric motor – its 53kWh battery may still be capable of up to 500km on a charge.

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs is becoming increasingly common among electric-car makers as they are cheaper to produce than traditional lithium-ion cells – though they are not as energy dense.

“Standard-range vehicles can utilize the lower energy density chemistries (LFP), whereas long-range vehicles require higher energy density chemistries (high nickel),” Tesla says in the Master Plan 3 report.

As previously reported, Tesla is developing a “next-generation” vehicle architecture which will spawn models smaller than the current Model 3 sedan – which is the size of a Toyota Camry – while costing half as much to build.

While it was previously believed this small-car architecture would be used for one vehicle, executives have confirmed it will spawn a range of compact models in different market segments.

If previous Tesla models are a guide, this may include a traditional hatchback or sedan – the size of a Toyota Corolla or Volkswagen Golf – alongside a high-riding SUV, akin to a Subaru XV, Mazda CX-30 or electric BYD Atto 3.

Company CEO Elon Musk indicated in 2020 a targeted starting price of $US25,000 ($AU37,800) for the new small-car range – but it’s unclear if this figure is still on track.

For comparison, the larger Tesla Model 3 starts from $US41,990 ($AU63,500) in the US, or $60,900 plus on-road costs in Australia, following a price cut last week.

It is unclear when the new Tesla small cars will be unveiled, however executives have suggested the first of the models are due in the “next couple of years”.

The designs of the new vehicles are also yet to be revealed. The computer illustrations in this story are artist impressions created by Avarvarii.

Lars Moravy, Tesla head of vehicle engineering, told investors and media at an event in early March 2023: “Our next-generation platform is more than one segment.

“We’re thinking about all the segments that are available that we haven’t captured and where the market would be, in designing it with our supply chain partners so that we can go quickly through those segments for where we need.”

“But if you make a car desirable, and affordable, often times it doesn’t necessarily matter what segment it’s in, because it’s one that you want … the next-generation platform is not one vehicle, but multiple,” Mr Moravy said.

Teaser sketch of a smaller Tesla published in 2020.

Key to reducing the price of the new Tesla cars will be a new way of manufacturing them, claimed to reduce complexity and the number of steps needed, and halve the cost.

Rather than assembling the body of a car first – and fitting the interior and batteries further down the production line – Tesla says sections of the vehicle (front, rear, sides and interior) will be put together as complete assemblies first, before bringing them together at the end of the line to finish the vehicle.

This is set to occur at a new factory planned in Mexico, though production will expand to Tesla’s other factories overseas – likely to include China, where Australian Model 3 and Model Y vehicles are built today.

MORE: Plans firm for Tesla factory in Mexico

Other improvements slated for the new cars include a new electric motor design with no rare-earth metals.

Tesla forecasts compact models will account for 686 million of the 1.4 billion vehicles it expects to be on the road once all – including passenger cars, SUVs, utes, vans, people movers, buses and heavy trucks – are electric.

It says there are already 1.4 billion vehicles on the road today, but it forecasts autonomous cars have “potential to reduce the global fleet, and
annual production required, through improved vehicle utilisation.”

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