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Tesla officially unveils the Model Y

Model Y

After years of speculation, and months of teasing, Tesla late on Thursday night finally unveiled the Model Y. Though the build up to the Model Y reveal didn’t engender as much excitement as, say, the Model 3, Tesla’s newest crossover vehicle does bring a lot to the table.

Design wise, the Model Y is about what you would expect from a car built on the same platform as the Model 3. It’s noticeably bigger than the Model 3 and can seat seven people. As a point of interest, Tesla CEO Elon Musk a few weeks back said that the Model Y would be about 10% bigger than the Model 3.

As far as a release date is concerned, the Model Y is slated to become available sometime in early 2020. Of course, given Tesla’s track record when it comes to meeting production deadlines, we’ll definitely have to take a wait-and-see approach before taking the company at its word. Remember, Tesla with the Model 3 claimed that it learned a tremendous amount from the production issues that plagued the Model S and Model X. Later on, of course, we would find out Tesla went off and created brand new production problems with the Model 3 by relying too heavily upon automation.

All that aside, the specs on the Model Y are solid. The entry-level model — with a range of 230 miles — will cost $39,000. And with Tesla being Tesla, an all-wheel drive dual-motor version will be available for $51,000 while a performance version will be available for $60,000. And last but not least, a long range version of the Model Y — with a range of 300 miles — will set you back $47,000. It’s worth noting, though, that the entry-level model won’t be available until 2021 as Tesla will look to manufacture the more margin-friendly models first, a strategy the company undertook with the Model 3.

Tesla, per usual, loves boasting about acceleration and the Model Y certainly is no slouch. Though the entry-level Model needs 5.9 seconds to go from 0-60 MPH, the performance version only needs 3.5 seconds to hit the 60 MPH threshold.

“It has the functionality of an SUV but will ride like a sports car,” Musk boasted during Thursday’s presentation. “This thing will ride really tight around corners.”

Another shot of the Model Y can be seen below.

Image source: Tesla

The Model Y can be ordered here and requires a $2,5000 deposit.

And for anyone who wants to watch the full Model Y unveiling, it’s available below.

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large for over 15 years. A life long Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW. When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.