While their first commercial effort was the Lotus-derived Roadster, it was the Model S that first announced Tesla’s arrival. Available for 2012, the Model S has had a massive cultural impact, completely changing people’s expectations of what an electric vehicle could be.
Utterly unlike the previous king of the eco-car world, the Toyota Prius, Tesla’s sleek sedan was most notable for its blistering acceleration. That the Model S offered even greater freedom for fossil fuels (at least at the users’ end) obviating Toyota’s once-prized hybrid.
In fact, other than the often regrettable actions of their Massively Online CEO, the only other drawback to the Model S was that, well, it was a sedan*. A decade into the 21st century has seen a migration away from full-size cars, gravitating instead toward SUVs and their sillier counterparts, crossovers.
The Model X accommodated the demand for the former. Offsetting its bulbous design with the inherent cool-to-a-kid gullwing doors, the bigger Tesla offered greater ride-height and space, both personal and cargo. Better yet, it maintained all the performance advantages inherent to an electric motor.
Still, that design…
The Model 3 followed, promising to be that low-cost EV alternative that had once been Tesla’s mission statement. That it wasn’t really hasn’t seemed to affect the brand’s image. At least not in the way that the continued production issues have (to say nothing of a certain CEO’s libelous behavior.)
In fact, the Model 3 is a sales-powerhouse. It’s the 6th best-selling car in the USA and accounts for 24% of all small and midsize luxury car sales. Not bad for a car that was denied its initial name (Musk, an actual adult business person, had wanted to call it the Model E, meaning the Tesla lineup would have the S, E, X, and upcoming Y.)
The Tesla Model Y Will Fill that Sweet, Sweet Crossover Void
Now comes word on that upcoming Tesla Model Y. Set to begin production 2020 (or 2020-ish) the new model will be Tesla’s first crossover. As one of the biggest segments in the auto world, it’s safe to assume that the Model Y’s set to be another big winner for a company that just can’t turn a profit.
Looking like an over-inflated Model 3, the Model Y will carry much of the former’s drivetrain. It will be available in four configurations:
- Standard Range RWD
- 230-mile range
- 5.9 sec/0-60mph
- 120mph top speed
- Long Range RWD
- 300-mile range
- 5.5 sec/0-60mph
- 130mph top speed
- Long Range AWD
- 280-mile range
- 4.8 sec/0-60mph
- 135mph top speed
- Performance
- 280-mile range
- 3.5 sec/0-60mph
- 150mph top speed
Prices range from $39,000 for the Standard Range AWD to $61,000 for the Performance. All but the cheapie RWD will be available by fall 2020 (ha!), with the entry-level variant ready for spring 2021 (HA!)
* It also has some pretty serious issues regarding build quality and production and distribution and a bunch of other complications that Tesla’s still trying to work out, but we’re trying to be succinct here.