Tesla's compact crossover, sedan models to launch by 2017

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed that the automaker's upcoming compact crossover and small sedan will hit the market "in the next three to four years."

The two new models represent central elements of Tesla’s long-term plan to expand into a higher-volume EV brand with a diverse product portfolio.

The small sedan, which is set start around $30,000, will compete against established sport sedans like the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4, Musk told Reuters.

Its platform will underpin the new crossover, which is expected to face off against the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. The electric soft-roader will likely take stylistic inspiration – and the wild “Falcon Wing” rear door setup - from the Model X (pictured above), the midsize crossover due in late 2014.

The entry-level sedan and crossover models will likely precede the next-generation Roadster by at least a year. Musk has hinted in the past that the new Roadster will have supercar-like performance comparable to that of a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

All four of Tesla’s upcoming models will benefit from a significantly upsized network of the automaker’s fast charging stations. Known as “Superchargers,” the stations can recharge a Model S sedan’s battery pack in roughly 20-30 minutes, helping to reduce the range anxiety typically associated with EVs.

Tesla plans to increase the number of Supercharger stations more than threefold to 25 locations across the country by June. In the future, the company hopes to operate as many as 200 stations.