Elon Musk just teased some details about Tesla Model Y


Little is known about Tesla’s Model Y electric crossover vehicle, but in an earnings call Wednesday, CEO Elon Musk gave us a few tantalizing new details.

The Model Y, an all-electric compact SUV, is expected to start production in 2020, but could hit the assembly line as soon as late 2019, Musk said. And contrary to previous assumptions, the Model Y will be built on a “completely different” platform from the upcoming mass-market Model 3.

Musk said he also plans to ditch the 12-volt battery architecture used in Tesla’s other vehicles, which could dramatically reduce the length of electric wiring needed and simplify the production process. Less wiring means more automation in the production process, and Musk has said he plans to introduce more robots into Tesla’s production line.

The Model Y will be the linchpin to Tesla’s goal of delivering 1 million cars by 2020. The company just announced that it shipped a record number of cars in the first three months of 2017.

Musk has been teasing the in-development Model Y for months now. He revealed in a since-deleted tweet that the crossover vehicle would have the same Falcon-wing doors that grace the Model X.

TheVerge

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