Tesla Model Y will be revealed today, priced 10 percent higher than Model 3
Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Sunday revealed new details about the Model Y via Twitter, including confirmation of a debut on March 14 at the company's design studio in Los Angeles. Invited guests will also get a chance to ride in the small crossover SUV, which is expected to start production in 2020.
Full pricing information will also be revealed at the debut, though Musk on March 3 said that the Model Y will cost about 10 percent more than the related Model 3, as the upcoming SUV will be about 10 percent bigger than Tesla's popular sedan. With the Model 3 starting at $36,200, with shipping, we're potentially looking at a starting price of about $40,000 for the Model Y.
The bigger size, along with a bigger frontal area than the Model 3, means range of the Model Y will be slightly less than the sleeker, more aerodynamic Model 3 for the same battery size. The entry-level Model 3's range comes in at 220 miles.
Another tidbit revealed by Musk is that the Model Y will skip the falcon wing-style doors, whose complex design led to delays in production of the Model X which introduced it. Curiously, previous teaser shots show the Model Y without any side mirrors, suggesting it may rely on tiny rear-facing cameras as opposed to bulky, aero-sapping side mirrors. Whether that will become a production reality will depend on regulators, however. Audi's e-tron electric SUV has ditched side mirrors, though not for the U.S. market.
Musk has previously stated that the Model Y will likely need to be manufactured at a new plant as Tesla’s plant in Fremont, California, is already at capacity with Model S, Model X and Model 3 production. In a shareholder letter released in February, Tesla stated that production of the Model Y will most likely take place at its plant in Nevada. The plant currently builds batteries and Model 3 components. Tesla will also build Model Ys at a plant in China.
Finally, Musk also revealed Sunday that the first of Tesla's new V3.0 Supercharger stations will open to the public on Wednesday, though no location was mentioned. The V3.0 Supercharger will be faster than the current 145-kilowatt stations, with Musk previously hinting at a peak power rating between 200 and 250 kw.
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