- Tesla’s popular Model Y SUV will soon be offered in a cheaper rear-wheel-drive variant.
- The so-called Standard Range model was available earlier in the Model Y’s lifecycle but had been discontinued in favor of longer-range all-wheel-drive models.
- Model Y Standard Range models are available to order now on the company’s website starting at $45,630 with a driving range as high as 260 miles—$7500 less than an all-wheel drive Long Range with 330 miles of advertised range.
Tesla is bringing back its low-cost Model Y Standard Range rear-wheel-drive model, which is now available to order on the automaker’s website. According to a report from Automotive News, the move is a response to lower-than-projected third-quarter vehicle deliveries, and that logic tracks.
Tesla has tweaked the pricing strategy for its lineup consistently throughout the year to compete with a rising tide of fresh EV rivals as well as inflation. Earlier this year, the company also relaunched Standard Range variants of the more expensive Model S sedan and Model X SUV, dropping the price of entry for those luxury vehicles by around $10,000 each. But those models didn’t last long and were pulled from the order site a few weeks later, replaced with cheaper variants of all-wheel-drive Long Range models.
Desperate scrambling? Perhaps. Or maybe it’s merely the trial-and-error method in action: Throwing options onto an online configurator to see what customers pick. Either way, more affordable EVs aren’t a bad thing.
The Standard Range Model Y is available to order now on the Tesla website, with a delivery date range starting as early as this month. Prices start at $45,630 for versions without any options, and the driving range for this model is advertised as high as 260 miles. If you opt for the prettier 20-inch Induction wheels—a $2000 option—the range estimate drops to 242 miles per charge.
Given that the Model 3 compact car that underpins the Model Y is getting a facelift for 2024, we suspect the SUV will get a similar treatment, but that may not happen until the 2025 model year.
This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Managing Editor, Buyer’s Guide
Drew Dorian is a lifelong car enthusiast who has also held a wide variety of consumer-focused positions throughout his career, ranging from financial counselor to auto salesperson. He has dreamed of becoming a Car and Driver editor since he was 11 years old—a dream that was realized when he joined the staff in April 2016. He’s a born-and-raised Michigander and learned to drive on a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am. His automotive interests run the gamut from convertibles and camper vans to sports cars and luxury SUVs.
Source: www.caranddriver.com