Tesla’s long-term strategy for electric car domination may be grander than we previously realized. While Tesla’s plan to roll out a mass produced and affordable electric car — dubbed the Model 3 — is already widely known, Elon Musk a few days back may have inadvertently spilled the beans on another car Tesla is planning to develop — the Model Y.
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Responding to a question about whether or not the highly anticipated Model 3 might include a crossover vehicle with the same type of Falcon Wing doors that come on the Model X, Musk responded: “there will be a Model 3 and a Model Y. One of the two will.”
Though the tweets were ultimately deleted, a few folks managed to take screenshots of the digital evidence beforehand.
Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumblings of a Model 3 crossover being discussed. About one year ago, Tesla VP of Engineering Chris Porritt said that the Model 3 will represent a vehicle platform that may include a number of offshoots.
Tesla has revealed that its new BMW 3 Series rival, the Tesla Model 3, will spawn a number of derivatives that could include an SUV and an estate in order to attract a broader spread of customers.
What’s more, the following slide, taken from a presentation delivered by Tesla CTO JB Straubel, also points to the Model 3 spawning a crossover vehicle.
And now, seemingly, the crossover vehicle has been confirmed by none other than Musk himself. As for what we might expect to see in a Model Y, it stands to reason that it will come in the form of a smaller version of the recently released Model X.
If the Model Y comes to fruition, Musk will have achieved his goal of creating a ‘sexy’ lineup of cars, what with the Model S, Model 3, Model X, and the Model Y. Note that the Model 3 logo will be depicted via three horizontal bars (≡), resulting in Models S≡XY. Famously, Musk wanted to call the Model 3 the Model e but was unable to due to Ford owning the trademark.
Incidentally, Musk last month stated that Tesla will show off its Model 3 design in March of 2016, with production slated to kick off sometime in 2017. Price wise, the base price on the Model 3 will check in at $35,000.
production on the Model 3 will begin in 2017
