--- title: "Elon Musk: $47,000 Model Y SUV “Will Ride Like a Sports Car”" description: "Tesla finally unveiled its fifth production car, the Model Y at its design studio outside of LA last night — a compact crossover SUV with seven seats." date: "2019-03-15" modified: "2019-03-15" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/tesla-model-y-announcement" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "electric car" - "elon musk" - "Model 3" - "model y" - "tesla" --- # Elon Musk: $47,000 Model Y SUV “Will Ride Like a Sports Car” ![]() *\Image: Tesla\* ## A Familiar Car First, it was supposed to feature Model-X-style "falcon wing" doors, and [then it didn't](). It was supposed to be built in the Shanghai factory, but that [didn't work out]() either. Tesla finally unveiled its fifth production car, the Model Y, at its design studio outside of Los Angeles Thursday evening. "It has the functionality of an SUV, but it will ride like a sports car," Tesla CEO Elon Musk said during the event. "So this thing will be really tight on corners." ## Bigger than the 3, Smaller Than the X Yes, acceleration is still zippy: zero to 60 in 3.5 seconds. But the vehicle is less than revolutionary. It's arguably the company's second crossover sports utility vehicle, after the Model X, and it borrows heavily from the company's successful Model 3. In fact, [75 percent]() of its parts are the same, according to CEO Elon Musk. The back of the Y is slightly elevated in the back for a roomier cargo space. A long-range model will feature seven seats — just like the Model X, despite being slightly smaller. Range: still 300 miles with the Long Range battery pack, thanks to its aerodynamic shape. ![]() It will also be "feature complete" [according to Musk](), referring to the fact that the Model Y will one day be capable of "full self-driving" that he says "will be able to do basically anything just with software upgrades." ## 10 Percent Cheaper As expected, the Model Y is ten percent bigger and costs roughly ten percent more than the Model 3: the first Model Y — the Long Range model — will be released in the fall of 2020 and will sell for $47,000. A dual-motor all-wheel drive version and a performance version will sell for $51,000 and $60,000, respectively. ![]() If you want to save a buck and get the ten-percent-cheaper-than-the-Model-3 version, you'll have to wait: a Standard Range (230 miles) model will go on sale in 2021 for just $39,000. Overall, the Model Y seems like a compromise: it's not a radical shift, but it seems carefully designed to land with a certain type of consumer — and, if Musk is to be believed, without sacrificing Tesla's carefully-cultivated "cool factor." Investors seemed slightly underwhelmed, too — the company's stock reportedly slid [up to five percent]() after the announcement. **READ MORE:** [Tesla unveils Model Y electric SUV with 300 miles range and 7-seats]() \[*Electrek*\] **More on the Model Y:** *[Elon Musk: Tesla Will Unveil Model Y Next Week]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()