The electric Tesla compact crossover we’ve been waiting for was finally revealed Thursday evening at an exclusive event in the company’s design center in Hawthorne, California. The Tesla Model Y will seat up to five or seven passengers, depending on the configuration, and according to CEO Elon Musk, it will have the functionality of an SUV but ride like a sports car. The crossover will arrive in the fall of 2020.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the new Model Y in front of hundreds of Tesla owners and employees, noting that the electric crossover’s driving range will max out at 300 miles. The top range will be available on the Long Range model priced from $48,200, including $1,200 destination charge. Also in the fall of 2020, Tesla will offer a Dual Motor AWD version ($52,200) and Performance version ($61,200), both with 280 miles of range. The Standard Range model will arrive in the spring of 2021 with a $40,200 price tag and a 230-mile range (up slightly from the Standard Range Model 3). All Model Ys will support third-generation Supercharging, which means you can get 75 miles of range in just five minutes.
Tesla claims the Model Y Performance model will accelerate to 60 mph in as little as 3.5 seconds. In our exclusive First Test of a long-range Tesla Model 3, we clocked the sedan hitting 60 in 4.8 seconds. A Dual Motor Performance version of the Model 3—equipped with AWD—reached 60 in a MotorTrend-tested 3.2 seconds.
Aesthetically, Tesla followed the same design language we saw on the Model 3, but with lines inspired by the Model X to give the compact crossover a polished look. Like Model 3, the smooth, grille-less front end still has that blunted look to it. The Model Y will get a panoramic glass roof, and to keep costs down, no fancy Falcon-wing doors here; the Y retains the elegant, mechanically-engaged door handles from the Model 3. The large greenhouse, raised belt line and elevated rear hatch give the Model Y a crossover appearance very reminiscent of a small Model X.
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Featuring a “frunk” (front trunk) and split-folding second-row seats, the Model Y offers a total of 66 cubic feet of storage space. Tesla claims a seven-seat configuration that adds a third, forward-facing bench with seats for two, is on the way as well. Inside, the Model Y sports a simple and tidy design thanks to the free-floating 15-inch touchscreen, which is pretty much the only thing you’ll see when you sit inside. Like in the Model 3, there is no gauge cluster, and the shifter is in form of a lever located behind the steering wheel. Other features like the A/C, audio system, and side-view mirrors can be adjusted through the touchscreen or steering wheel controls.
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