Tesla has teased new images of its mysterious all-electric crossover SUV, the Model Y.
At the firm’s annual shareholders meeting, Tesla showed off a shadowy sketch of the Model Y, although CEO Elon Musk gave few updates on when consumers should expect the car to hit the shelves.
The new photo confirms previous rumors that the Model Y will take some of its design features from the Model X SUV.
At the firm’s shareholders meeting, Tesla showed off a shadowy sketch (pictured) of the Model Y, although Elon Musk gave few updates on when the car will become available
It appears to be mirrorless, with a hood that slopes downward and pretty large wheels.
But that’s not the most interesting aspect of the Model Y’s design.
According to Musk, the Model Y probably won’t have any leather and it might not even have a steering wheel.
‘Model Y will not have any leather in it,’ Musk said at the shareholder meeting.
‘Even in the steering wheel…even if it does have a steering wheel’.
As many have pointed out, it’s likely that Musk was joking about the Model Y being without a steering wheel.
Tesla has released few details about the Model Y besides teasing several images. Last month, Musk set a timeline for the Model Y launch at ‘anytime from late this year to mid next year’
The firm shared its ‘all-hands quarterly video’ in May that shows a brief glimpse of a mysterious car, covered with a sheet, that many believe could be the yet-to-be-released Model Y
However, several carmakers have begun rolling out autonomous vehicles without steering wheels, including General Motors.
What’s more likely is that we won’t find out until Tesla officially releases the Model Y.
Last month, Musk set a timeline for the Model Y launch at ‘anytime from late this year to mid next year’.
In another interview, Musk said Model Y production could begin in the next 24 months.
Tesla has released few details about the Model Y, aside from teasing several images in the last year.
The firm shared its ‘all-hands quarterly video’ in May that shows a brief glimpse of a mysterious car, covered with a sheet, that many believe could be the yet-to-be-released Model Y.
Elon Musk appeared emotional at Tesla’s annual investor meeting after he rebuffed a shareholder attempt to strip him of his role as chairman
Tesla’s shaky finances and inability to meet production goals for its first mass-market sedan, the Tesla Model 3, has caused frustration among investors
The car is thought to be the Model Y because it appears to have the same sill, or panel where the door meets the frame, and similar design elements like the door shutline.
It’s likely that the car will not be manufactured at Tesla’s Fremont production plant, as that facility is already ‘jammed to the gills’, Musk said in a recent call with investors.
He added that Tesla is focusing on making the Model Y easier to produce than the Model 3, Tesla’s first mass-market sedan, which has been plagued with production setbacks.
‘There’s no question we could have made the Model 3 much easier to produce than we have,’ Musk explained.
‘I think Model Y is going to be a manufacturing revolution’.
Musk also spoke at the Model 3 at the shareholder meeting, saying Tesla will ‘quite likely’ start producing 5,000 cars per week by the end of June.
Musk also spoke at the Model 3 at the shareholder meeting, saying Tesla will ‘quite likely’ start producing 5,000 cars per week by the end of June
By the end of 2018, Musk hopes to start production of the $35,000 (£26,000) entry-level version of the Tesla Model 3.
This will be rear-wheel drive only and sport a smaller battery pack than other models in the range.
Musk told shareholders: ‘We will definitely offer a $35,000 version of the Model 3. And probably at the end of this year is when we will be able to make a smaller version of the battery pack, and get into volume production of $35,000 version in Q1 next year.
‘We would definitely honour that obligation, and we would do so right now if it were possible.’