After a year full of twists and rumors, Tesla has finally revealed its “affordable” cars. Once thought to be new, standalone models, the cars in question are, in fact, just a Model 3 and a Model Y with slightly different looks and some missing features.
Called the Model 3 and Model Y “Standard,” they’ll cost $38,630 and $41,630, respectively, including destination—$5,500 and $5,000 less than their more expensive counterparts.
There’s a lot to unpack here, from the exterior changes to the missing features to the revised drivetrains. Let’s get into it.
How About Those (Missing) Lightbars?
The cheapest Model Y will be easy to spot in a crowd of Teslas. Unlike the more premium trims, this one doesn’t have lightbars front or rear to connect the exterior lights. Up front, that area is occupied by the bumper cover, while in the back, there’s no black piece of plastic on the tailgate. The Model 3 is a bit tougher to differentiate, seeing as how it didn’t have lightbars in the first place. The only exterior change, according to Car and Driver, is a front-mounted camera that’ll eventually make its way to the rest of the range.
Then there are the wheels. Up until now, the smallest wheels you could get on either the Model 3 or Y were 19 inches in diameter. But these new versions come standard with 18-inch wheels. While that might be bad news for the design-obsessed, those who prioritize range might actually be excited. Smaller wheels often result in better range for EVs, thanks to their lighter weight.
As Motor1 points out, not even the side mirrors made it out unscathed. According to a comparison chart on Tesla’s website, the Model Y has manual folding mirrors. The Model 3 mirrors, meanwhile, are fully manual, without motors for adjustment (something I’m not sure any other car currently on sale is missing). Tesla really didn’t hold anything back here with the cost-cutting.
What Else Is Gone?
Most of the Standard’s savings can be found inside. The front seat ventilation is gone, as is the rear seat heating. There’s no vegan leather to be found, as it’s been replaced by more traditional textile material. The steering wheel adjustment is now manual, and the rear touchscreen for the second-row occupants has been deleted and replaced with vents. There’s also a new center console setup.
Weirdly, the Model Y Standard retains its glass roof, but it’s been totally covered up on the inside by a headliner and a bunch of sound deadening. The company told Car and Driver this was cheaper than developing and installing a fixed metal piece. Why it didn’t just keep the glass roof as-is, I’m not sure. Even weirder, the Model 3 Standard retains its glass roof without any changes.
Let’s Hear The Numbers
The normal Model Y comes with either rear- or all-wheel drive, netting drivers 295 horsepower or 375 horsepower, respectively. The Standard is available only with a single motor at the rear, rated at 300 horsepower (more, weirdly, than the more expensive model). Tesla says it can sprint to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, a fair bit more than the normal car’s 5.4-second estimate.
The Model 3 Standard gets a single-motor rear-drive setup as well, rated at 286 horsepower (the same as the current Model 3 Long Range RWD). Despite the identical power numbers, Tesla quotes a 0-60 time of 5.8 seconds for the Standard, versus 4.9 seconds for the RWD.
The battery in both cars is the same, with just 69.5 kWh of usable capacity. Tesla says both cars can achieve a range of 321 miles on those base 18-inch wheels, or 303 miles on the optional 19-inch wheels. Charging at any of Tesla’s Supercharger sites is also limited to 225 kilowatts—a slight dip from the normal car’s 250-kilowatt capabilities.
Is It Actually Cheap?
The Model Y Standard is the more important car of the two, being one of the world’s best-selling cars and all. The car’s new price puts it right alongside cars like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Hyundai Ioniq 6, but it can’t match the excellent value of something like the Chevy Equinox EV, which offers similar range to these Tesla Standard models but for even less money.
Interestingly, the Model Y Standard is about as expensive as the normal Model Y was before the federal tax incentive went away. This trim will, presumably, be the bridge to fill the gap for buyers who couldn’t previously afford the car without the incentive.
At $38,630 including destination, the Model 3 Standard is a bit more compelling, especially considering its range. By my estimates, it’s now the sixth-cheapest EV on the market, just behind the Toyota bZ4X, which is short on range by about 100 miles versus the Tesla. Considering it performs identically to the Model Y standard, I’m not sure why you’d choose the crossover over the sedan (unless you really, absolutely need that bit of extra space, which most people don’t).
Both cars are already available to order on Tesla’s site, so if this price cut was what you were waiting for, head on over to its configurator and dive in.
That glass roof thing sounds like punishing you for buying the cheap model, not savings of any kind. If developing a real roof was too expensive, develop manual sun shades, and be done with it.
I think it’s because fabricating (ha) and installing the more complicated headliner that trims the glass roof is more expensive than doing the same but with a big sheet
I think you might be right. I had been trying to think of an explanation, but your thought makes sense.
I have to imagine, of all the cuts, this one saves relatively little. So, it definitely does feel like a penalty box
I mean…how much can power mirror units really cost? (ignoring the design/engineering since that’s already been done). As an aside, I think our general inability to answer that question is why companies can charge $2500 for a “technology package” with all kinds of cool-sounding gizmos that actually cost like 50 bucks.
This is horrible value for what you get. Theses cars felt cheap enough on this inside already, and that’s where most of the decontenting happened…
Manual mirror adjustment in 2025 is hilarious.
Wheels are hideous but that’s nothing new for Tesla.
Ah so just like all of us said, there was nothing major to remove and the price didn’t drop by an appreciable amount.
If you just want “an car” but electric this Model 3 is certainly a way to get that (though why not just get a base Equinox). But for the stripper price you can get a far better gas vehicle which is the crux of the issue.
$5,000 is a decent amount cheaper (>10%), and if this was about any other automaker, the tone wouldn’t be so negative
Except that other automakers are offering all the features they removed, for less money than the poverty spec Tesla.
Company optics independent, you’d never convince me to pay MORE for a car with fucking manual mirrors, when I can have an Equinox with a significant number of bells and whistles.
That’s literally paying more for less, due to brand loyalty.
Now, if this was 5k UNDER the competition for the price, then there’s a conversation to be had.
And any company that started with a panoramic glass roof and spent money on extra materials to cover it up as a punishment would be equally roasted. It’d be like designing a blanking plate to put on the glovebox latch to make it unusable. (And I know the sunroof “delete” is a plus for some and that’s cool. It’s the way they went about it that is asinine).
the manufacturing installation of a form fitting trim is more complicated and expensive than installing a single sheet. Complain about something valid
the title of the article is that they are “barely” cheaper. That’s simply not true. $5,000 is not a small amount of money both relatively and absolutely. The article could be “Tesla cut more than 10% off the Model Y, and it’s still not enough”, but that’s not the narrative they went with. I don’t give a hoot about Tesla, and Elon has ticked me off far longer than the average person since I am in aerospace, but I can see obvious bias when it’s around. It’s annoying, and everyone’s whiny automotive version of “hurr durr bad dorito dictator” is annoying
“barely” is the correct term when you’ve reduced the price of an expensive item by the cost of the sales tax or less. In my opinion.
I got $5000 off the price of my Genesis Coupe when I bought it, and that car was only $24,000. Hell, VW just cut 20K off the price of the Buzz trying to move it, and they didn’t install manual mirrors or cover the glass roof with fabric.
So yes, they stripped out what are essentially standard features in that price range, to get the price lowered less than the average dealer incentive on a given month from any manufacturer.
That, to me, is “barely” cheaper.
The amount of stuff they kept and the things they changed are questionable. Like they kept the glass roof because it’s simpler for assembly but designed new lights and and a new front end new interior pieces and put away controls on the screen. Plus with the y they are made a new fronk insert. Are they going to sell enough of these to pay for that design and certifications along with extra tooling and lines. Plastic molding is cheap it doesn’t make alot of sense. They have added complexities while claiming to remove complexity.
I think the embarrassment of everyone being able to tell from 100 feet that you bought the cheap one is worth whatever it cost them to redesign the trim pieces. I’m not saying one should be embarrassed (well, aside from being seen in a Tesla), but that perceived stigma will keep a lot of people paying the premium.
But at the same time tesla was late to the light bar weird helmet front party. There is a crazy amount of kias and Hyundais that have had that for almost a decade and at night all look the same. I think the big take away is the gray Teslas will now be the worst drivers it has been the white Teslas. I really wouldn’t be surprised if some Tesla people want the newest one just to say it’s the newest one.
“Duuude….is that the Foundation Series of the Model Y with the power mirror delete?!”
Something you could easily hear outside of Starbucks with people with orange iPhones taking pictures while claiming how unique they are and how they are coffee snobs. Orange iphone grey Tesla could be the new ska song of the year.
I like the idea of someone manually adjusting their side mirrors as a “flex.” While being recorded by ppl with orange iPhones.
That Model Y looks like it still has all of its delivery protection on it, like it’s waiting for the PDI guy.
This is a price anchoring base model, plain and simple. They got told to build a cheaper model by their investors and phoned it in.
There’s no way they actually expect to sell that many of these, or they’d have removed the expensive piece of glass and replaced it with a plastic filler panel. Something engineered to be cheap has as much margin stuffed into it as possible.
Better solution. Give them 1 inch wheels. that would make them get like 10000 miles of range, right?
I was certain there must be an xkcd for this, and whaddya know? https://xkcd.com/605/
this seems like its set up to meet some government fleet regulations. for example the cloth seats. many government/ municipalitys make it illigal to buy vehicles with leather/pleather seats. so is uncle sam about to order millions of tesla model y’s ?
I see these as wins. Too bad the doors are electric only, and no manual seats, and AWD isn’t an option, otherwise I’d be looking at a M3 right now.
The doors on Model 3s and Ys are manual — you press with your thumb to make the handle rotate outwards. Simple.
Pretty sure the door latches are electronically latched and unlatched, the only manual backup I know of is inside the door separate from the regular electric door handle.
I recently had a new Model 3 as a rental. Even in a higher spec than these here, it felt anodyne and cheap in places that were very noticeable. The Standard Model Y pictured is so nondescript that it looks like a brand-less filler vehicle used in local print ads or in a mobile based video game.
This is a phrase that should never have existed, but at minimum should never be uttered or printed again.
Just call it vinyl, because it’s vinyl.
Agreed. Parroting marketing drivel is not good journalism. Call it what it is.
Plant-based textiles exist.
Yeah, I’m frustrated that I’m seeing this stupidity parroted both here and on Car & Driver‘s site. I almost tried to remember my old C&D login to post basically your exact comment there, but I particularly would expect/hope for a higher standard here.
It’s a freaking petroleum product, people. “Vegan leather” is the most cynical, gaslighty greenwashing BS and there’s no need to perpetuate it.
Right? Vinyl is plastic and plastic is made from oil and oil is made from dinosaurs and goddammit dinosaurs are animals, too!
It’s mostly ferns and palm trees. Animals just aren’t that much biomass compared to plants.
Just you get out of here with your science and your facts and things! If I want to live in total ignorance, that’s my ‘Merican Gawd-given right!
There are plant-based textiles.
It’s not just vinyl, it can also be plant-based textiles. How prevalent they are or how durable, I don’t know, but they exist, so while it’s very likely vinyl being greenwashed, it has the potential to be plant based (or maybe a blend, I don’t know if they have that).
Whatever it is, it isn’t leather, which is my whole beef (pun intended).
“Vinyl” or “plant-based” would certainly be more honest, but the latter would still kind of require being compared to leather as that could be made into cloth-like material as well. I never heard of vinyl being anything but leather-like to varying degrees of believability.
My preference for seating materials: fake leather, cloth, leather. I like not having to worry about fabric stains. I don’t like using animal products when alternatives exist. So, to me, “vegan leather” is a useful term because it means “stuff that looks like leather, but isn’t.” I’d be fine if they called it “imitation leather” but we know the marketing departments will never allow that. I realize I’m probably part of a very small demographic, but just adding my 2 cents.
Your preferences are valid, but leather is very much an off-cut of the beef industry. If we didn’t use it in cars, it would probably just be thrown away. I’m a proponent of using as much as possible of an animal if it died anyway, and an even bigger proponent of biodegradable materials over petrochemical products.
Whether or not it’s possible to cut back on overall beef consumption for the sake of our arteries and greenhouse gas reduction is anyone’s guess.
There’s a kind of faux-leather made out of fungus. I don’t know if that is manufactured in appreciable quantities, and I don’t know if there’s any plastics hiding in it as some kind of unmentioned binder.
Maybe it’s my imagination, but it seems like they pulled out way more features than necessary to cut the prices by so little.
Anyone imagining a big Elon Musk on-stage reveal for these and someone in the audience calling out “A TRIM LEVEL!?! THAT’S IT!?! YOU CALLED US OUT HERE FOR A…trim level…”
wow Tesla way to phone it in lol
Brings to mind an itty-bitty inflatable arms guy half-assedly tossing his widdle hands randomly around while emitting the slow whiny sort-of fart noise of a balloon deflating.
Exiting – now you can look like a poor fascist!
I think this is my favorite comment of them all.
They gave it the old landlord special and just hastily painted over what was already there
Voldemort
I am predictably underwhelmed. The glass roof thing seems pretty dumb. On the one hand, the headliner and insulation probably helps with the noise and climate control, but that’s also added weight for zero benefit other than development cost. I honestly would prefer textile seats to vinyl, but losing the ventilation is a big minus. Smaller, range-helping wheels should be the no-cost option on EVERY trim level of every EV, in my opinion, so that’s not necessarily bad. The blanditude of the paint options and the expense of getting a different, equally bland, shade of blah is pretty dumb.
without going on at even more length, there’s some neutral-to-good, lots of dumb, and at $41K, I don’t see them selling a lot of these. MAYBE at $31K there’d be an argument for it, but not at that price, not with all the Tesla baggage, and not for driving something that appliance-y.
They were probably able to use thinner glass without any coatings to cut down on heat from the sun baking the interior.
IMHO, the cost of battery cells has dropped 30%+ in the past three years. They can afford to drop the price more. They need to drop the price more.
Glass thickness is due to structure not anything else. Coatings are negligible thickness, AND they will need them anyways (probably a more aggressive coating tbh) to slow the decay of the headliner from the sun beating down.
Manufacturers have been known to use double pane glass instead of single pane for sound reduction. Honestly, I don’t know if the glass roof on the Model Y is single or double normally. But the side windows were changed from single to double.
Yes, but the glass roof is a structural member. (Remember the car is designed to be able to flip over without collapsing the glass) Obviously windows are not, so they are already designed to be extra thick and strong as is.
I can just about guarantee that’s where the slower acceleration comes from. The control electronics somewhere in the HV circuit are cheaper and slightly derated on current, so peak and or sustained power draw is less, meaning while the motors are the same, the actual amount of power the draw over the 0-60 sprint is less, hence the slower acceleration.
Or acceleration is artificially restricted by the software to make it slower so you have to pay more for the next model, or an upgrade to unlock it.
yawn
Wow, it is the anonymous car from a car insurance ad. This is low energy sad.
Until it comes without Elon Musk’s baggage, the cost of ownership will always be too high for me regardless of the price.
I would argue that the Y looks better without the light bar, though.
I came down here to say the same –
Weird choice to make the “cheap” model Y better looking.
This is one of the most embarrassing cars I’ve ever seen. Like, if they made a Saturn version of a Pontiac Aztek and they redesigned it a couple times, this is what it would’ve looked like by 2025.