Tesla Model Y Teased for the First Time
This is the first image Tesla has officially released for the Model Y.
The American automaker shared the teaser image at the company’s 2017 Annual Shareholder Meeting at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. The Tesla Model Y will be a compact crossover, serving as a smaller version of the existing Model X – much like how the Tesla Model 3 is a smaller version of the Model S.
Originally, Tesla planned on building the Model Y on the same platform as the Model 3, but earlier this month, Musk shared there’s a new platform in development for the Model Y and it should be ready for production by late 2019 to 2020. At the meeting, CEO Elon Musk reiterated the automaker’s plan to build the Model Y on a new platform, and set an ambitious date of having it on the roads in 2019.
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Although the teaser image isn’t showing much, it does appear the Model Y will have similar lines to the Model 3. There’s also a noticeable lack of side mirrors, something Tesla wanted to do with the Model X, but regulators wouldn’t allow it yet in most markets. Musk also said at the shareholder meeting today that he expects the Model Y to be more popular than the Model 3, which isn’t a huge surprise given the current popularity of compact crossovers.
In addition, Tesla will likely build a new factory to support production of the Model Y, Musk said.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Maybe Tesla will take orders again and they are not even sure will they build them in time.