The huge global success of the Model 3 has seen EV car-maker Tesla operate with a bit of a spring in its step. And the latest evidence that the firm may have turned a 'production hell' corner is a recently unveiled date shift for its next creation; the Model Y SUV.
In a letter to investors, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that the Model Y will start being shipped in its home market almost two quarters earlier than expected — from Autumn 2020 (September–November) to Spring 2020 (March–May).
It's a stark contrast to the significant delays that have blighted some of Tesla's past releases. And the good news doesn't end for potential buyers. Tesla's website has also confirmed that each variant of Model Y will come with more range than expected.
At launch, Tesla boasted that the model would be able to travel 280 miles (450km) to a charge in its Performance and Long Range trims. Now, those figures have been boosted to 480km for the Performance, and 505km and 540km in the Long Range AWD and Long Range RWD, respectively.
This change could potentially be in response to Ford's controversial Mustang Mach-E, which debuted last November with a maximum range of 482km.
Read more: Elon Musk congratulates Ford on the fully-electric Mustang Mach-E
The caveat to claims of the Model Y getting improved range is that figures for the Standard Range entry-level model haven't been confirmed on the manufacturer's website — in part because the whole model has vanished from the website. Time will tell whether this is a temporary or permanent change.
The cheapest Model Y is unlikely to be gone forever. Musk has spoken widely about the role of Tesla's new Shanghai Gigafactory in producing more affordable models, like the Standard Range Model Y.
New Zealand pricing and availability has yet to be confirmed, and with left-hand drive markets getting priority these details are unlikely to be shared until later in the year.
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