Despite having a backorder of vehicles to complete, Tesla has closed its San Francisco manufacturing plant in order to launch its sport-utility model. Industry observers say the company's emphasis on the SUV is a response to sales trends: "SUVs (and crossover models) passed a milestone in May by outselling sedans in the American market for light vehicles (36.5% to 35.4%)."
But if Tesla is truly looking for mass appeal, it may find it in the upcoming Model 3 vehicle. "At a starting price of around $35,000, a third of the cost of a top-range Model S, Tesla wants the car to compete against the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedans."
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