One of the key facets behind electric-car maker Tesla‘s (NASDAQ: TSLA) soaring stock price in recent months is increasing confidence from investors in the company’s ability to ramp-up vehicle production from an annualized run rate of about 100,000 units today to management’s target for as many as 500,000 units next year. But Tesla will need to successfully launch its higher-volume, lower-cost Model 3 first before it can take its production to the next level.