Tesla Model Y

The **Tesla Model Y** is a battery electric mid-size crossover SUV built by Tesla, Inc. since 2020.

The Model Y is based on the Model 3 sedan platform. It shares an estimated 75 percent of its parts with the Tesla Model 3, which includes a similar interior and exterior design and electric powertrain. The Model Y fills a smaller and less expensive segment than the mid-sized Tesla Model X. Like the Model X, the Model Y offers optional third-row seats for a seven-passenger seating capacity.

Unveiled in March 2019, it started production at its Fremont Factory in January 2020, and started deliveries on March 13, 2020.

In the first and second quarters of 2023, the Model Y outsold the Toyota Corolla to become the world's best-selling car, the first ever electric vehicle to claim the title.

## Pre-launch

In 2013, Tesla Motors filed to trademark "Model Y".

In 2015, Elon Musk teased a Model 3-based Model Y with falcon-wing doors.

In 2017, the Model Y's silhouette was teased to Tesla shareholders at the annual general meeting in June. Elon Musk also announced that the Model Y would be produced in a new factory, as it was not likely that the Fremont plant would have room to accommodate another production line.

In June 2018, a new silhouette was revealed by CEO Musk. With the new image, it was stated that the Model Y would be formally announced in March 2019. The Model Y announcement had been planned for 2018; however, production problems with the Model 3 resulted in it being pushed to 2019. In October 2018, Elon Musk revealed that he has approved the finalized design for the first production version of the Model Y, however production would not start until 2020. On March 3, 2019, Elon Musk published multiple tweets, announcing the unveiling event and confirming some specifications. Musk confirmed the vehicle would use standard doors, as opposed to the falcon-wing doors used on the Model X.

## Release

On March 14, 2019, Elon Musk premiered the Tesla Model Y at an event at Tesla's design studio in Hawthorne, CA, where specifications were announced and the vehicle was shown. Test drives of multiple Model Y vehicles were also offered to attendees after the presentation. Due to its larger size, the Y consumes more energy than the 3, and thus has shorter range. The Fremont factory was changed to accommodate production of the Y.
On March 13, 2020, Tesla made their first deliveries of the Model Y, along with publishing its owner's manual.

## Product

Tesla originally announced plans at the unveil to assemble the Model Y at Giga Nevada (in Sparks, Nevada), along with the battery and drivetrain for the vehicles, unlike the Model 3, where drivetrains and batteries are assembled at Giga Nevada, with final assembly completed at the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California. Two months later, in May 2019, Tesla said that they instead planned to shuffle production lines at the Tesla Fremont Factory to make space for Model Y production.

On January 29, 2020, Tesla reported in its Q4 2019 earnings report that Model Y production had already started in the Fremont factory, that one can now place an order for their premium versions with all-wheel drive, and that delivery of Model Y would begin in Q1 2020.

In November 2019, Tesla announced that the Tesla Model Y would be the first vehicle to be assembled at the first European Gigafactory, Giga Berlin.

United States deliveries started in March 2020 for the Long Range AWD version and the Performance version. Later in 2020, Tesla began shipping cars to the Canadian and Mexican markets.

Initial production of the made-in-China Model Y began in mid-December 2020 with 250,000 Model Y expected to be produced in 2021 in China alone. In November 2020, Tesla signed an agreement with LG Chem to supply battery cells for Model Y production in China.

On October 7, 2020, Musk tweeted that Giga Berlin Model Y would get single-piece rear and front frame cast, structural battery pack, and new 4680 cells.

On July 25, 2021, CEO Elon Musk revealed that Tesla was planning to release an updated design for the Model Y by the end of 2021. In addition, Tesla planned to implement their new structural battery pack to improve range. These new cars would be manufactured by the two new Tesla production facilities in Austin, Texas and Berlin, Germany. If Tesla was not able to roll out the new 4680 battery cells by the end of 2021, they would use the standard battery cells until the 4680's are ready.

## Reception

The Model Y has been generally very well received. Critics laud the car's appearance, quick acceleration, spacious interior and range. However, they criticized the vehicle's clumsy handling and stiff ride. According to Top Gear, the Model Y is a "great car to live with". The Model Y was also touted as the leader in its class, but reviewers note that competition is rising with numerous alternatives hitting the market from other manufacturers.

On September 8, 2020, Volkswagen Group Chair, Herbert Diess, wrote about the Model Y: "This car is for us in many aspects (not in all!) a reference: user experience, updatability, driving features, performance of the top of the range models, charging network, range. Big advantage: Model Y was/is thought through as an electric car – as is the ID.3. Many of our competitors still using their ICE platforms. The result: They aren’t getting the best EVs."