The Tesla Model Y Would Not Be As Complex As Model X, Won’t Be Built On Model 3 Platform, Either

While very little is known about its upcoming all-electric crossover SUV, Tesla’s Model Y is definitely coming within the next couple of years. The mysterious vehicle, which is known simply by its name as of writing, has been a mainstay among Tesla rumors for a long time, and for a good reason, too. After all, the Model Y is speculated to be the corresponding SUV equivalent of the Model 3, Tesla’s vehicle for the masses.

If there is anything that is known about the Model Y, it is that the EV would definitely be the next vehicle that Tesla would unveil. So far, the carmaker has revealed three of its planned four-vehicle strategy, with the Model S and the Model X catering to the higher-end market and the Model 3 designed to make a significant impact in the affordable, entry-level segment. Just like the Model 3, the Model Y is also expected to be geared towards a far more budget-conscious demographic.

Last year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated in a Q2 2016 earnings call that the Model Y would be the company’s priority once the production lines of the Model 3 are up and running, according to a Teslarati report. Considering that the Model 3 is expected to enter production sometime this year, the reveal of the Tesla Model Y might come sooner than anticipated.

“I mean, also to be clear like the priority vehicle development after the Model 3 would be the Model Y, I guess, the compact SUV, because that’s also a car that where we expect to see demand in the 500,000 to 1,000,000 unit per year level. So it’s the obvious priority after the Model 3.”

Rumors about the Model Y have initially pointed to the upcoming EV crossover SUV being built on the same platform as the Model 3. Seeing as the two vehicles are targeted at the same demographic, the design choice appeared to be logical. Recently, however, reports emerged that Tesla might be double-thinking the platform for the Model Y. According to the Tesla CEO, the carmaker would be building the upcoming vehicle using an entirely new platform, according to an Electrek report.

While it might appear that manufacturing the Model Y on a different platform from the Model 3 is ill-conceived, the decision was encouraged by the prospect of a simpler manufacturing process. According to the Tesla CEO, the EV-maker has developed a new way to manufacture the crossover that significantly reduces the overall wiring of the upcoming vehicle. With less wiring on the Model Y, its production would be a lot simpler and far more efficient.

With the change in the Model Y’s platform in mind, it appears that the upstart carmaker has learned its lessons well with the Model X, the company’s first all-electric SUV. While the Model X is a stunning technological marvel in its own right, its production proved to be far more complex than necessary. The SUV’s unique and iconic Falcon-Wing doors alone have ended up delaying the SUV’s production schedule. This is something that Tesla is completely avoiding with the Model 3, as well as the upcoming Model Y.

Considering these recent reports, the Model Y appears to be slowly coming to form. While the crossover SUV would not be as complex as the Model X, the fact that it would likely be manufactured in mass quantities would definitely help Tesla achieve its goal of producing 1 million vehicles a year. While such a number seemed impossible just a few years ago, the production of the Model 3, as well as the development of the Model Y, appears to indicate that Tesla has finally found its legs with regards to meeting the demand for its acclaimed electric vehicles.

[Featured Image by Tesla]