Tesla has been teasing the existence of an “affordable” model for years. The idea first surfaced in 2020 during a battery event, when CEO Elon Musk said denser batteries would allow the company to build a $25,000 car. Rumors of the mythical cheap Tesla stuck around until Musk squashed any plans of such a vehicle back in October, calling it “silly and pointless.”
The company hasn’t completely given up on breaking into a more affordable segment, telling investors it plans to launch cheaper models by the end of 2025. Tesla will reveal its first affordable model tonight—but it won’t be an entirely new car. As confirmed by Musk back in July, it’ll just be a Model Y with less standard equipment.
The Model Y in question should look a bit different, too, if these spy shots taken of an undisguised prototype turn out to be legit. These photos, published to X by user Ryan Mable and shared by The Verge, show a white Model Y with slightly revised fascias running on Florida manufacturer plates driving around near Tesla’s Austin, Texas headquarters.
How Different Will It Look?
The most obvious difference lies in the nose, where there’s no longer a lightbar uniting the two headlights. The car in these photos has that space occupied by an extended bumper area. The updated, slimmer headlights from the normal Model Y are still present, though. Out back, the central taillight has been replaced by what looks to be a black piece of plastic, and all badging has been removed. The tailgate piece has also been redesigned to reach over into the lower black plastic portion of the bumper, which looks kinda awkward.
@SawyerMerritt spotted an uncovered cheaper Model Y variant driving near Giga Texas pic.twitter.com/Fy6devXree
— Ryan Mable (@RyanMable) October 2, 2025
These images match up with a photo shared by The Tesla Newswire, a fan account on X that tracks Tesla happenings. The image, shared earlier this month, shows an identically restyled Model Y that was, according to that account, lifted from code within Tesla’s own website. It’s impossible to make any guarantees without an official announcement, but considering that, plus the manufacturer plate, this car is likely what we’ll be seeing revealed later tonight.
What Will The Cheap Model Y Be Missing?
Tesla hasn’t made any official statements with regard to standard equipment or specs, but that hasn’t stopped people from finding out what to expect. The Verge cites a hacker on X who goes by GreenTheOnly, who claims to have discovered exactly what the cheap Model Y will be missing compared to its more expensive counterpart in a tweet published last month, citing Tesla’s own firmware:
simplified fiberglass headliner
simplified cabin lighting (footwell only)
simplified seat controls (single axis)
no power mirror folding
no puddle lamps
no glass roof
no second row display
no tpms
simplified 18″ wheels— green (@greentheonly) September 20, 2025
In case you can’t see the above tweet, some subtractions to the cheap Model Y could include obvious cost-cutting moves, like no glass roof, no second-row display, a cheaper fiberglass headliner, no power-folding mirrors, simpler seat controls, and smaller 18-inch wheels. Weirdly, this hacker also reports that the cheap Model Y won’t have a tire pressure monitoring system, even though TPMS sensors have been mandatory in the United States since 2007. If I had to guess, it’s possible their data was tied to a car destined for sale outside of the U.S.
The hacker, as well as Electrek, say the affordable Model Y will also have a “downgraded” suspension setup. But while the hacker says there will be rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options, Electrek seems to think the car will be rear-wheel drive only. That is to say, we won’t know for sure just how much stuff has been taken out until Tesla reveals all the info.
How Much Will It Cost?
Tesla hasn’t released a number, per se, but its German CEO leaked a few details on the car yesterday ahead of tonight’s reveal, including some hints about its design and an approximate starting price. From German publication Handelsblatt:
The US electric car manufacturer Tesla plans to launch a light version of its Model Y this year. German CEO André Thierig announced this at an internal event on Monday at the Tesla plant in Grünheide. Series production and delivery will begin “in a few weeks.”
The Model Y Standard has a “completely redesigned front, completely new bumpers, a completely redesigned rear, and different lights. It simply looks like a different car,” Thierig said at the launch. Regarding the planned price, the plant manager said: “It will be about ten percent cheaper than the current Model Y.”
Let’s do the math here. The current Model Y starts at $44,990 before destination charges. Ten percent of that number is $4,499. Subtract that from the car’s MSRP, and you get $40,491. This lines up with the $40,000 starting price rumored by several outlets already. The lowest I’ve seen reported is $39,990, by that Tesla fan page I mentioned earlier.
The ironic part about all of this is that up until recently, the current Model Y was actually cheaper than this new model, thanks to the $7,500 federal tax credit. Previously, you could’ve gotten a nicer Model Y for less money. But now, because of the disappearing incentive, you’ll be paying more for a car with less equipment.
Would You?
It’s unclear right now whether Tesla will extend that $6,500 lease credit it came up with at the start of the month to owners of the cheaper Model Y. That would make the car way more palatable for buyers looking to save some cash. Because while $39,990 is certainly cheaper, it’s definitely not cheap. It’s also nowhere near that magical $25,000 mark promised by Musk all those years ago.
This begs the question: What would you be willing to pay for a stripped-out Model Y? I think that $35,000 mark is the sweet spot here; it would put the car right in line with cars like the Hyundai Kona Electric and the Chevrolet Equinox EV, two of the cheapest electric cars on the market. Otherwise, I don’t see a way to justify buying the Tesla over either of those cars (especially the Chevy, which gets over 300 miles of range).
Only foot well lighting? No overhead lights at all? That’s just dumb. I think that should be the other way around.
I wouldn’t buy it for $40. This company is dead to me until Elon goes.
Do you like the Tesla Y?
I do not like the Tesla Y
I do not like that Elon guy
Would you buy it for 40K?
I would not buy it for 40k
I would not buy it anyway
I do not like the Tesla Y
I will not pay that Elon guy
COTDecade.
I will not make a garbage buy.
I do not like that Elon guy.
You’re not embarrassed as a journalist to put this up here? You don’t think you should even pretend to be neutral?
Journalists aren’t allowed opinions? Since when?
Fox “News” made an entire news network out of opinions, fabrications, and fanciful flights of imagination. Plus as far as I know, Stef doesn’t publish on The Autopian.
As someone who has to follow this industry for work, I’m not embarrassed at all, nor should I be. We’re still allowed to a) chuckle at funny comments and b) form our own opinions on important figures in the industry.
My personal takes are not representative of any whole outlets I’ve ever worked with, and everyone I’ve ever worked with is also human, and thus, capable of forming their own takes on cars and important industry figures. It’s pretty impossible to remain opinionless on someone with this much influence over a given beat, and I wouldn’t expect anyone covering cars not to have an opinion on the guy. Yes, there are subjects and whole outlets where I have to stick to hard facts and let readers decide from hard reporting, and I’m perfectly capable of doing that, as are many of my professional peers who don’t always agree with me. This, however, is a comment section. It’s where the takes go.
Also, this stripped-down new model (now that the real one is revealed) is half-assed as hell. Even without thinking about Elon’s personal messes—like, pretend this thing has a piece of cheese for a badge instead and was made by a drama-free Gromit, Incorporated—it’s the laziest thing they could’ve come up with (especially the covered-up glass roof) and still lacks basic features like physical controls and a better UI that make a car easier to live with and safer to drive. Better options exist at that price point, and that IS my as-objective-and-detached-from-Elon’s-personal-life-as-possible take based on driving a bunch of these things.
Considering my personal thoughts on the guy himself, though: Tesla has long been a brilliant company in need of an adult, and I mean that in the business sense as well. It brought EVs into widespread adoption, but the company has to think about what’s next, and puppeteered robots and robotaxis trying to rely on inadequate sensors ain’t it. The car side (they’re a car company, remember?) needs to respond to the glut of competition now in the EV space with more competitive products people want to buy. Innovate again, not follow. Also, be way less sketchy about everything from Not Really Fully Self Driving failures to electronic door handles that trap folks in cars. Take accountability when there’s a serious problem and fix it ASAP. Don’t rush new products or features to market without adequately considering safety concerns. I don’t think Elon has the maturity to do these things, and that’s a personal opinion based on years of following this very company and the way it—and especially its main leader—responds to various corporate controversies and mishaps.
Have a nice day!
Ok, that’s a reasonable take. Even if there is no Tesla without Elon, I agree that spinning off the car business and getting a new CEO would have been a good idea a while ago.
However, while I’m sure you have driven more late model EVs than I have, having driven a new Model Y, I’m incredulous that anyone could call it a “garbage buy.”
The Model Y was…fine-ish when it debuted, but the single-screen controls are distracting/enraging, and the update feels like kind of a nothingburger aside from the improvements to its ride quality. So much of it feels like the same car with a nose that no longer looks like it matches, and at a time when other companies are catching up, it’s a big “that’s it?” from me.
There are other EVs now that aren’t shoving everything on a screen against all concerns over distracted driving and usability. Other companies that don’t by-default write off constructive criticism as “shorts” or “haters,” too, and that take it into account. Doubling down on Big Screen as competitors go “yo, we kept this as a button because it’s what the people want” is definitely a choice and not a good one.
For a budget vehicle, there are better-optioned/more livable models that are priced right around or undercut the stripper Model Y. You’ll forfeit some outright maximum range and power if you opt for a different lil’ EV, but you can get more comfort and convenience items that make a car more livable day-to-day. (Going to keep harping on real buttons and displays in front of the driver as the biggest ones for me. I’ve been in a Countryman EV this week and it’s only reaffirming my opinion that a single center screen is just distracting as hell, even when you start learning where the controls sit. Needless to say, it would not be my pick, either.)
Even if you try to look at the car in a vacuum, it’s impossible when the actions of the company’s head keep torpedoing resale values. That mismatch between many EV buyers’ values and what the head of the company (and the company itself, considering some of its labor/environmental issues) is doing and posting ends up affecting the basic/boring aspects of the vehicle that a lot of folks keep in mind when they’re buying a car. Personally, I don’t buy things for resale, but all there’s too many Resale Silver cars on the road for me not to also note that.
Bloody bravo!
No.
I wouldn’t buy a Tesla for any dollars.
You can’t wash off the stink of a white supremacist.
Volkswagen and Porsche managed to
But VW/Porsche don’t currently have vocal far-right and unhinged CEOs
German citizens admitted they let a problem get out of hand. They feel shame for it. They fixed it from becoming a problem again. What have we done?
What have we done about what exactly? The millions of people that were never killed by Musk? Seems like what we’ve mostly done is freak out about a hand gesture
Touché! Good one
The fact that you know to bring it up is proof that you can’t really wash the stink off.
If Elon is CEO then the answer is NO
Would I? Not just “No”, but “Hells naw, fool!” Hatefully designed UI, poor build quality, inflated insurance cost, inflated jellybean aesthetics, lousy ride quality, and the Tesla stigma. I don’t see an upside when there are so many better ways to spend $40K on an EV.
Buying any EV new is silly. Especially now with the tax credit gone. Just pick up a used one at half price a couple years later – they depreciate worse than Korean luxury vehicles.
You couldn’t pay me to drive a Tesla. And I can think of a ton of cars I’d rather drive for $40k.
Every time I see a refreshed one on the road, I’m like…do you not realize that other companies make EVs now? Some of them have revolutionary things like buttons, multiple screens, and not being led by a fascist.
I saw a refreshed Y on the road the other day that had one of those “I bought this before Elon went crazy” stickers on it, and I was like NO YOU DIDNT, SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE PRE FACELIFT IF YOU WANT ME TO BELIEVE THAT
Bless their hearts.
There was a refreshed 3 with those stickers owned by an acquaintance’s parents. He was stumped about Musk sudden behaviour. After the twitter shit, after the cave diver nonsense. After cozying up to trump. Don’t forget people are really really stupid.
simplified fiberglass headlinersimplified cabin lighting (footwell only)simplified seat controls (single axis)no power mirror foldingno puddle lampsno glass roofno second row displayno tpmssimplified 18″ wheelsSo none of the things I care about, some of the things I do care about but can install myself cheaply AND more sidewall?
Yes. But for $20k. Or in 5 years at $10k (This IS the Autopian after all)
Eh, who am I kidding – $3k in 10 years.
“simplified seat controls (single axis)”
What the hell does that even mean? Just sliding back and forth with no tilt or height? What is this, 1950?
it refers to who Tesla’s CEO wishes was in charge of the world.
I thought that guy is ALREADY in charge of the world.
Negative. Use low mileage y’s are less than that and have the things potentially lost with this.
That said, the front and rear fascia look better with that simplified look.
Nope.
A: Would never buy anything that supports that waste of space, or make the statement that I support fascists.
B: Have found them really annoying to live with when I borrowed them. Plus watched a nightmare of someone trying to get repairs done from an accident which took MONTHS and a ton of headaches due to Tesla only approving a repair place 2 hours away.
no….if they launched at $30-35k this would make some sense to me against the Equinox, Mach E, and the Ionic 5.
but at $40k it’s either more expensive and possibly worse equipped, or just worse equipped than the things it’ll be competing with and I can’t see it having a range that’s as good as the Model Y Long Range, they must be compromising some on the range and power.
we’ll know for sure once we have final specs.. but with Hyundai dropping prices for 2026 models.. the new Model Y “rental spec” seems to be headed for sales failure.
“Rumors of the mythical cheap Tesla stuck around until Musk squashed any plans of such a vehicle back in October, calling it “silly and pointless.”
Does that mean you won’t object to opening the floodgate to cheap and cheerful Chinese EVs?
No. These changes don’t help its case.
Give me some traditional controls without hiding behind menus, add a driver’s display pod for speed, toss the CEO, and maybe we’ll think about it.
The madness on the TPMS, however, is that it’s effectively a free feature. Use wheel rotation monitoring, which they would have intrinsically, and it gives you indirect TPMS.
Why would I? There are other European, hell – even Chinese alternatives that don’t look like making a statement, especially recently.
Not on my approved vendors list. At any price. Including free.
Do what Chrysler did and call it Model Y America
LOL who the hell would buy this crap
Final Fantasy USA Mystic Quest.
No Swastikar for me.
lol, no.
even besides the Elon reason, there are better and nicer looking EVs for the cost.
Good lord no, but bless their hearts for trying.
If this is a Southern-style “bless their hearts”, then I wholeheartedly agree.
I mean, it certainly is coming out of my mouth.
No. But I wouldn’t buy a fully-loaded Model Y for that price, either. How much is a quarter ton of lithium worth? I’d pay that much minus 20% to account for the work of driving it to the smelter.
Thought i would drop by and say ‘F*ck Elon’ and ‘Hell No!’ i will never purchase anything represented by him.
Tesla by Temu
Would You?
F*ck no, it’s still a Tesla