Tesla Model Y debuts with three seat rows, 480 km / 300 mi range

EV manufacturer Tesla has held a reveal event dedicated to its all-electric mini-SUV, the Model Y, in its HQ in Los-Angeles, USA. The car will ship priced between U.S. $39,000 and $60,000.

The Tesla Model Y family will consist of four members: Standart Range, Long Range, Dual Motor AWD, and Perfomance. The pilot copy of the new model will be assembled by means of the California-based Gigafactory 1, but the actual production will take place in the Gigafactory 3 in China.

The car is based on the same chassis as the Tesla Model 3. It comes driven by two electric motors and a traction battery whose capacity varies among different trim versions. The Performance trim only needs 3.5 seconds to sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) and can eventually hit 240 km/h (150 mph). In turn, the Long Range trim offers up to 480 kilometers (300 miles) of uninterrupted driving.

In addition to the chassis, the Model Y inherits certain design features from the Model 3. It sports a sunroof and a short front overhang. Contrary to what many of us would be tempted to expect, the car will ship with conventional side mirrors instead of video cameras. It will also have traditional doors and not Tesla’s famous “falcon-wing doors”. Company CEO Elon Musk says those features complicate the production process too much.

Customers will be able to choose either a two-row or a three-row variant of the SUV, the latter capable of accommodating up to seven passengers. The driver will take advantage of the latest car safety tech, the Autopilot feature, and a 15-inch touchscreen display providing access to all major functions of the car.

The more expensive trims will start shipping in the fall of 2019, while the Standard Range will have to wait until 2021.

Photo: Tesla