Photo: Tesla Inc.
Last month, Elon Musk announced the Tesla Model 3 Design Studio would soon go online, but people shouldn't expect too much of it as it will only provide two options initially: paint color and wheel design.
The Model 3 starts production two days from now, but the first units that will roll out the Freemont plant will be single-motor, low spec versions - the basic electric sedan that everyone who couldn't afford a Model S was crying for.
In 2018, the factory will begin to assemble dual-motor Model 3s, as well as the heavily anticipated Performance version, which nobody really knows what to expect from at the moment, apart from better 0-60 times than on the rest of the range.
The paint options on the Model 3 are somewhat disappointing - but that's been the case with all Teslas so far. If you've seen a more funky-looking one on the street, it probably belonged to somebody who was sick of the lack of choice and had the EV wrapped.
However, wheel designs appear to be even more limited, but at least there's something for everybody. Tesla filed for and obtained the design patents for three alloy wheels styles, and they have all been spotted on prototypes or release candidates before.
The first one, and the most basic, is the so-called V-spoke design. As the name suggests, the wheel has five Vs (or ten spokes) connecting the hub with the outside rim. This is the safe choice for those who don't like to bother too much with these aspects.
The second one is the "wind turbine" design, and it might be the poshest of them all. This could come at an extra charge or be restricted to the larger size of 19 inches, but we'll have to wait and see. It's definitely the prettiest of the trio, and also the most fragile-looking.
Finally, we come to the aero design. This was conceived to maximize the Model 3's range and, if you ask us, it should be the default choice for everyone. It may not show as much caliper skin as the other two, but it offers more practical advantages, the ones that make sense for the type of vehicle the Model 3 is.
You can look in the gallery for a side-by-side comparison between the patent drawings and the real-world wheels as they've been spotted so far. Apart from the black hub on the V-spoke, we'd say they are the real deal.
In 2018, the factory will begin to assemble dual-motor Model 3s, as well as the heavily anticipated Performance version, which nobody really knows what to expect from at the moment, apart from better 0-60 times than on the rest of the range.
The paint options on the Model 3 are somewhat disappointing - but that's been the case with all Teslas so far. If you've seen a more funky-looking one on the street, it probably belonged to somebody who was sick of the lack of choice and had the EV wrapped.
However, wheel designs appear to be even more limited, but at least there's something for everybody. Tesla filed for and obtained the design patents for three alloy wheels styles, and they have all been spotted on prototypes or release candidates before.
The first one, and the most basic, is the so-called V-spoke design. As the name suggests, the wheel has five Vs (or ten spokes) connecting the hub with the outside rim. This is the safe choice for those who don't like to bother too much with these aspects.
The second one is the "wind turbine" design, and it might be the poshest of them all. This could come at an extra charge or be restricted to the larger size of 19 inches, but we'll have to wait and see. It's definitely the prettiest of the trio, and also the most fragile-looking.
Finally, we come to the aero design. This was conceived to maximize the Model 3's range and, if you ask us, it should be the default choice for everyone. It may not show as much caliper skin as the other two, but it offers more practical advantages, the ones that make sense for the type of vehicle the Model 3 is.
You can look in the gallery for a side-by-side comparison between the patent drawings and the real-world wheels as they've been spotted so far. Apart from the black hub on the V-spoke, we'd say they are the real deal.
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