Finally, the wait is over, Elon Musk unveiled the Tesla Model Y electric SUV that very much looks like a Model 3 but it has some unique features like the optional 3rd-row seating and more cargo capacity.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk started his presentation by describing a bit of Tesla history when in 2010 they had just one car built, that’s the original Tesla Roadster, now the company has made 550,000 cars and aims to hit the 1 million mark in the next 12 months.
Musk also thinks that Model Y production with time will overtake the production numbers of Model 3, S and X combined. Tesla Model Y will have four variants Standard Range, Long-Range, Dual Motor AWD and Performance (see range and price estimation chart below).
Keeping the tradition of its Model 3 sibling, Model Y will also have the best safety standards and features, hopes are high that it will
The Long Range (300 miles) Rear-Wheel-Drive (RWD) variant of the Model Y is expected to be launched first as was with the case with Model 3, Model Y first production is due late next year.
Tesla Model Y has an amazing cargo capacity which is 66 cubic feet, this seems to be more than 4 times of the Model 3 which has only 15 cubic feet of cargo capacity, this capacity would be optimal when there is no 3rd-row seat/7 seat configuration is in place.
Looking at the picture below, the 3rd-row seat of the Model Y looks very tight but would be good for small children and pets. There have been no talks of the Hardware 3.0 or an additional surprise at the event.
Let’s enjoy some new crisp photos that Tesla released along with the Model Y unveil (gallery below), the complete unveil event video is now available and added at the end of the post.
The recent repaints and renders based on the Model Y teaser from Tesla were almost correct, the design is very similar to the Model 3, the front and rear lights are identical. Although the hood seems not as long as the Model 3 the boot space is huge.
Model 3 and Y similarities will enable Tesla to keep the production timeline on track and availability of parts for both the automaker and the end customer will be easy. Tesla is trying to convert the ever-growing CUV/SUV markets, especially in the United States to electric.
Latest: Rare pic and video clip of the Model Y 3rd-row seats