More Affordable Tesla Model Y Could Be Coming Out Of Texas Soon

Mar. 20, 2022 7:28 AM ET by Karl Furlong Rumor / 7 Comments

The electric crossover's price has dramatically increased in recent years, but that may soon change.

It wasn't that long ago that you could buy a Tesla Model Y for under $40,000. That was for the Standard Range model that Elon Musk has since decided wasn't good enough due to its limited range. Later, Musk said this model was still available "off-menu" but it's never been listed on the brand's website again.

Since then, the Model Y lineup - like the rest of Tesla's range - has been subjected to a series of exorbitant price increases. As things stand right now, the cheapest Model Y Long Range starts at $62,990, over $20,000 more than the Standard Range. But it looks like a cheaper Model Y could once again be on the horizon. A Tesla hacker known as "green" on Twitter sifted through the brand's new 2022.8.2 software update and discovered the presence of a new Model Y derivative.

https://twitter.com/greentheonly/status/1504124577902960645

Tesla

The Tesla hacker found a listing for a Model Y SR+ which we can only assume is a Standard Range Plus. This is a Texas-made derivative and the listing was dated 2022, Q1. As is now well-known, Tesla moved its headquarters from California to Texas last year, which means that its primary operations will take place closer to the new Giga Texas factory.

So, what can we expect from a Model Y SR+? Well, nothing has been directly confirmed by Tesla but the EPA website may hold some clues. It currently lists a Model Y AWD with a 279-mile range, in addition to the 330-mile Long Range and the 303-mile Performance.

Tesla

Tesla only lists the Long Range and Performance Model Y derivatives on its website, so it could be that the Model Y AWD on the EPA website is the Model Y SR+. With its reduced range, it could once again see the price of the cheapest Model Y getting closer to $50,000. The Tesla hacker suggested that the Model Y SR+ could be the first vehicle to come out of the Giga Texas factory. He also found several new battery types that were also added, so this 279-mile model could use either lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries or Tesla's 4680-type cylindrical battery cells. Whatever the case, it would be nice to see a more affordable Tesla Model Y on sale again.