Tesla Model C, Model 3: What announcements to expect on March 1st?

The electric car manufacturer Tesla will share many details about its strategy, including a potential smaller, more affordable model.

In a few hours, the days of Elon Musk’s sporadic tweets or rumors will be over. Tesla is set to hold an official presentation, initially for investors, called “Investor Day”. But this March 1st interests both the brand’s fans and the entire automotive world, as it might unveil or announce numerous new technologies and innovations.

The Model 3 facelift?

Camo prototypes are multiplying on the roads in California, or at least more photos of these vehicles are emerging. The Tesla Model 3 is already a veteran since it was unveiled in 2016, seven years ago, and launched in 2017 in North America. Usually, a typical facelift takes 3-4 years, but this electric sedan had already received some updates in late 2020: black window contours and headlights, new wheels, new interior, etc.

Here, the front and rear bumpers seem to be evolving, as they are completely masked on the captured prototypes. But it’s not certain that the announcement will be made on this March 1st, which, as a reminder, is aimed at investors.

The Model C/Model 2/Model A?

Investors have much more to hear about the “new platform” that Elon Musk promised during the 2022 financial results announcement, published last January. Currently, it’s difficult to know what this third or fourth generation of Tesla cars will look like. In 2020, Musk claimed that a compact car costing around $25,000 would arrive by 2023, equipped with LFP batteries, designed – if not manufactured – in China. Since then, there has been little information about this vehicle, as Musk has prioritized ramping up production of the Model 3/Y and the Cybertruck.

The final Tesla Cybertruck?

Although it was teased in late 2019 – yes, the one with the shatterproof glass… broken – the Tesla Cybertruck is still not in production. Promised in 2021, the electric pickup won’t be long in arriving, as Musk announced a new date for this summer. Remember, this monster measuring 5.90 meters long is mainly designed for North America, where such vehicles are popular. Unveiled in three versions, the Cybertruck could feature 2 to 4 motors, with an autonomy between 400 and 800 km.

The American manufacturer is also expected to update on the progress of new “4680” battery cells, as well as production sites that can support the goal of 20 million electric cars annually by 2030. Recent rumors mention a site in Mexico or Indonesia.

A true autonomous driving system?

While Tesla’s Model 3, Y, or Cybertruck have faced delays, they have still made a notable debut. However, the U.S. company has yet to succeed in enabling full autonomous driving, which remains a priority for Musk. The CEO still has to wait because the FSD (Full Self Driving) system is not considered a level 3 (autonomous under certain conditions), let alone level 4 (fully autonomous everywhere). Nevertheless, the Model 3 and Y were expected to feature this technology, and the future Robotaxi Musk promised for 2024.

Between words and reality, the technology isn’t advancing fast enough, whether in terms of software, AI decoding camera images and sensor data, or hardware upgrades to the “Hardware 4” (HW4) generation. Musk himself said in 2016 that “software refinement and validation will take longer than deploying physical hardware”.

What is Tesla’s Master Plan 3?

This third phase of Tesla, following the “Master Plan” of 2006 and the “Part Deux” of 2016, will be announced on March 1st. Again, Elon Musk is leading this strategy for the coming years. In Master Plan 3, we will likely find the Model 2 (or C/A, whatever the name), the Robotaxi, and a probable Tesla Roadster II that Tesla showcased… in 2017.

Join us this Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at an as-yet-unknown time. The Tesla Investor Day event, held at the Austin plant in the United States, will be streamed on YouTube and… of course, Twitter, recently acquired by Elon Musk.

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