Elon Musk said he has approved the Model Y prototype for production.
Speaking on Tesla’s Q3 earnings call, Musk noted that he had given the upcoming all-electric crossover SUV his stamp of approval. Now that Tesla seems to have moved beyond its struggles with manufacturing the Model 3, they plan to give more attention to the Model Y.
The Model Y is expected to be built on the Model 3 platform, which the company hopes will make production more efficient. The design is also expected to to have similarities to the Model 3. The company has released teaser photos of the Model Y, but it’s difficult to glean much from the shadowy images.
The design approved by Musk is expected to be unveiled March 15 of next year. Full production will not begin until 2020.
Tesla has said its planned Gigafactory in China will manufacture the Model Y for the Chinese market, but it’s not clear where the vehicle will be produced in the U.S.