Tesla’s new affordable models are nothing new

Tesla just launched two new, affordable models. But the problem is that it’s not actually new.

The newly revealed models are practically just a Tesla Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan with some key features removed to lower the price.

the Model Y Pricing starts at $39,990, and Model 3 It starts at $36,990.

Tesla fans were expecting the model to be priced around $25,000.

In the affordable version, the car is almost the same except for the changes which are approximate expected. In the Model Y, the panoramic glass roof is gone. Instead of a center console with extended storage space, there is an open center console, and instead of an electrically adjustable steering wheel, the car will have a manually adjustable steering wheel.

The leather seats and front and rear light bars were stripped. The second row seats will no longer be heated, there is no automatic steering, and you still can Super charging in 15 minutes, but now up to 160 miles instead of 182 miles.

On the new Model 3, there are similar changes to the supercharger, leather seats, steering wheel, and more, except the more affordable model still has the panoramic glass roof. The second-row infotainment touchscreen has also been stripped from the more affordable Model 3.

The cars will still include integration with Musk’s Grok chatbot, according to the British Daily Mail Share X By the company.

The Tesla Model Y was previously considered The best-selling car in the worldaccording to automotive analysts from Jato Dynamics, but was recently displaced by Toyota RAV4.

The 2021 Model Ys were also the subject of a recent Bloomberg investigation that revealed people were injured or even died when their Teslas lost power, often after an accident, and Their doors will not open. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has since opened a preliminary investigation into the 2021 Model Y door handles.

Musk has been teasing a new, more affordable model from Tesla for some time. The promise dates back to the Musk era.Tesla Motors’ secret master plan“Written in 2006, so it took Musk 19 years to become a reality.

Company directives Last year it was scheduled to be revealed in the first half of 2025. But months passed without any update. On an earnings call in July, Musk said: I confess That the new model won’t be new at all.

When Musk was asked about details of the affordable model, Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja interrupted: “It’s just a Model Y. Let the cat out of the bag there.”

It’s great timing for Tesla to unveil a more affordable option. the Electric vehicle tax credit It just expired last week, thanks to efforts by the Trump administration, and electric vehicle purchase prices are high right now. Tesla ever since rose Rental prices also increased.

A lower-priced electric vehicle is a great way to retain some buyers who would have lost out in the absence of the tax credit. It’s not clear how much of a boost you’ll get, but it will help at least somewhat Tesla is struggling.

The affordable, stripped-down models are also still more expensive than the now-premium Model Y and Model 3 cars that had the EV tax credit.

together enhances Coming off the end of the tax holiday, Tesla had excellent deliveries last quarter. But besides that, the big picture is bleak. Tesla deliveries have fallen this year, at least in part due to Elon Musk’s far-right political shift in the United States and Europe. Musk’s support for various far-right parties in Europe This particularly alienated a large portion of its customer bases in the UK and Germany, a key market for the company.

Moreover, although Tesla dominates the US electric vehicle market, competition is stiff elsewhere. Chinese competitors love BYD It dominates the global electric vehicle market with affordable electric cars Operate circuits easily Tesla. BYD’s cheapest model starts at approx $8000.