Electric SUV and BMW 3-series rival next for Tesla, says Elon Musk

Tesla is set to expand its model line-up with two new electric models, company boss Elon Musk has told Autocar UK.

The first model to join the existing S luxury saloon will be the Model X SUV, arriving next year. Company insiders indicate that it will be close to the concept car that’s already been widely displayed and is set to keep its gullwing doors too.

A third model, rivalling the BMW 3-series, will arrive in early 2017. According to Musk, "it will be 20 per cent smaller and half the price" of the current Model S, indicating a starting price of around £30,000 (Rs 29.73 lakh).

Design and engineering work is set to start on the small saloon at the end of this year and it’s likely that a good deal of the work, including dynamic tuning, will be done at the company’s forthcoming UK research and development centre.

Musk, who has recently purchased the Lotus Esprit submarine model featured in the James Bond film ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ also admitted that he plans to create something similar that works.

"It’s a low priority project but we can create a transformation amphibious vehicle using Model S electrics. It will look like the Esprit too but 10 percent bigger and we’ll make it in single digit numbers, but it can be done," he said.

Photograph: Forthcoming Tesla Model X SUV will remain faithful to this concept version.