At yesterday's shareholder Tesla shareholder meeting, CEO Elon Musk gave us a quick look at the upcoming Model Y. He gave some new info about the platform the Model Y will ride on, and some updates on the Model 3 sedan as well.
The lead photo shows a hint of the silhouette of the new SUV. It's a computer rendering, not a photo of a real vehicle, but it seems to share a design language with the brand's other vehicles. More telling is what's missing. There are no exterior mirrors, something Telsa has tried with their cars before, although that detail can't make production unless safety rules change.
As to what chassis the new vehicle will ride on, Musk said that "I think actually we made a mistake in trying to derive the Model X from the Model S platform." He said last month that the Model Y will get an entirely new platform, not one shared with the 3. Musk has also said that Tesla is moving away from a traditional 12-volt system, which will make the car more simple and reduce wiring.
Musk said Tesla is hoping for the Model Y to hit the road in 2019, and expects demand to be higher than it was for the Model 3. Tesla is considering three locations for a new factory for the new model, but isn't revealing where. He said they expect to eventually have as many as 20 factories worldwide.
So when can we expect to see the Model Y in a little more detail? Musk was coy with the audience, saying "I just like, really recommend showing up for the semi truck unveiling." The truck reveal is set for this September.
Musk addressed the Model 3 as well and said that car's configurator will go live next month. He said the first car should be delivered at the same time. At the start of production, there will be few options. He said colour and wheel size "are basically going to be the configurator." He added that part of the reason for the simple launch is that "it's crazy hard to make cars." They'll reveal future configurations along with a timeline once the configurator goes live.
Finally, expect more pre-owned cars on Telsa's site. Only they won't be branded as pre-owned because "that is like a bogus name. It's used, everyone knows that."
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