Tesla just launched two brand new, affordable models. But the catch is that they are not actually new.
The newly unveiled models are practically just a Tesla Model Y SUV and a Model 3 sedan with some basic features removed to get the price tag down.
The Model Y pricing starts at $39,990, and the Model 3 starts at $36,990.
Tesla enthusiasts were speculating that the model would be priced around $25,000.
In the affordable version, the car is almost exactly the same except for changes that were roughly expected. In the Model Y, the panoramic glass roof is now gone. Instead of a center console with extended storage, there is an open center console, and instead of the power-adjust steering wheel, the car will have a manual-adjust steering wheel.
The leather seats and both front and rear light bars have been stripped. The second row seats also won’t be heated anymore, there is no auto-steer, and you can still supercharge in 15 mins, but it’s up to 160 miles now instead of 182 miles.
In the new Model 3, there are similar changes to the supercharger, leather seats, steering wheel, and more, except the affordable model still has the panoramic glass roof. The affordable Model 3’s second-row entertainment touchscreen has also been stripped.
The cars will still include integration with Musk’s AI chatbot Grok, according to an X post by the company.
The Tesla Model Y was once considered the best-selling car in the world, according to automotive analysts from Jato Dynamics, but was recently dethroned by the Toyota RAV4.
The 2021 Model Y vehicles were also the subject of a recent Bloomberg investigation that revealed people were hurt or even died when their Teslas lost power, often after a crash, and their doors wouldn’t open. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has since opened a preliminary probe into the 2021 Model Y door handles.
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