Tesla Inc. has never been known for meeting deadlines, but with the Model Y unexpectedly launching tomorrow, it certainly aims at flushing any negative reputation it may have accumulated in that regard.
The SUV was announced last spring with the sales launch penciled in for the upcoming fall. Recently, the company saw the opportunity to shift the launch date to March 15, 2020, which exactly one year after the show reveal. Now, multiple customers have reported that they received shipment offers for March 13 and 14, i.e. once again a couple days ahead of the schedule.
Tesla said last week that it would be able to deliver 300 or 400 EVs in its first batch, but it now claims it can ship as many as 1,700 units in the coming several days.
At $60,990 USD starting price, the Tesla Model Y Performance is the most expensive Y on the lineup and therefore the most profitable one for the manufacturer. It can run 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds and doesn’t hit the speed ceiling until 145 mph (233 km/h). The driving range amounts to 315 miles (507 kilometers).
The other trim version is called Long range and costs $8,000 less. It packs the same battery and therefore has the same mileage as the Performance trim, but needs 4.8 seconds for the sprint and maxes out at 135 mph (217 km/h).