Elon has learned his lesson from the Model X and applied it to the Y

[ecarfan]

Elon has said it many times in the past few years, and said it again last night; that Tesla overreached with the Model X by trying to do too much (Falcon Wings, huge windshield, powered doors) at once and making it too different from the car it was supposed to be based on (the X only shares about 30% of its parts with the S).

The Model Y is like the “anti-X”. It will share about 70% of its parts with the 3. It has no radical new features. Fundamentally, the only significant differences are that the Y is slightly larger, has an optional third row, and a hatchback. It will very likely have the same battery pack and drivetrains that the 3 has.

Tesla will be able to take all the manufacturing lessons it has learned from the 3 and apply them when building the Y production line. So Tesla will be able to ramp Y production much more quickly and won’t face the problems it had in 2018 with the 3. The current battery pack and motor production lines for the 3 can simply be expanded for the Y.

I think that within 3 years Tesla will be selling far more Y’s than 3’s.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Agreed. I think the Y should have been built first... more $ in more sales. CUVs are selling like.. well.. CUVs... so build what the people want to buy!

I'm glad it doesn't have the broken wing doors, but wish it was bigger... what's the latest on the X refresh?!

 

[CarlK]

Definitely. Everything from the car to manufaturablity looks good but Tesla stock still got a beating because people say it's underwhelming. Imagine what those same people would say if Tesla makes it super fancy with a lot of bells and whistles.

 

[Ludalicious]

Well said. it looks like a great addition to the lineup. They should do well with it.

 

[TheGrimSweeper]

It looks great and will set Tesla up for success. I don't think they will go through "production hell" with this one.

I think Elon's next crazy toy, with all the features and gadgets, will be the pickup truck.

 

[Soda Popinski]

It looks great and will set Tesla up for success. I don't think they will go through "production hell" with this one.

Depends where they build it. If they go with Fremont, it'll be a shorter ramp up. If they go with GF1, they need to set up new lines, stamping, etc. Ultimately they could make more, but I think the ramp up will be longer.

 

[Darren Donovan]

Definitely. Everything from the car to manufaturablity looks good but Tesla stock still got a beating because people say it's underwhelming. Imagine what those same people would say if Tesla makes it super fancy with a lot of bells and whistles.

Then I would cash out, Lol.

 

[N5329K]

I think they should do well with this car which is really a Model 3 hatchback more than anything. If visibility out the back is good I'd consider it over a Model 3 just for the additional space. They aimed low by stressing parts commonality and (relative) simplicity so they stand a much better chance of hitting production and cost targets (unlike Model X, so yeah, maybe they did learn something). That said (and without seeing an actual human sitting in row three), I think it's kind of embarrassing to call this a seven-passenger vehicle. Five pax plus two jumpseats for tots, maybe. I had an E320 kinderwagen and my daughter and her friends loved to sit in the way back (so they could make faces at following traffic), but no adult ever was forced to sit back there and I think the same is probably true for Model Y.
It is what it is. It ain't what it ain't.
Robin

 

[Dadiggaman]

Definitely. Everything from the car to manufaturablity looks good but Tesla stock still got a beating because people say it's underwhelming. Imagine what those same people would say if Tesla makes it super fancy with a lot of bells and whistles.

Were they expecting Tesla to put more buttons and knobs in the thing? They took what everyone loves about Tesla and put it in the most popular form factor.
I'll be ordering mine when production starts. I love the 3, but it is just too small for me.

 

[HugoBoss]

People keep mentioning that the y should have been released before the 3. While I agree because it would be more revenue they couldn't make a 35K car with the Y. Barelly made it with the 3. Then people would bitch even more.

 

[BBone]

Agreed. I think the Y should have been built first... more $ in more sales. CUVs are selling like.. well.. CUVs... so build what the people want to buy!

I'm glad it doesn't have the broken wing doors, but wish it was bigger... what's the latest on the X refresh?!

I definitely agree with you that the Y will sell! Had the Y come out before the X or the 3 or the S it would have even more demand and sell more than all of those prior models. Keep in mind that even with the 3 and to a lesser extent in previous years with the S and X that there were real production line/supply issues. Everything from batteries being provided/locked down, to paint lines, to factories not up yet. So the Y would have IMHO just made Elon look silly to have so many frustrated buyers not getting their Y for many more months or years down the road. So in a way Elon and you are both right as there would be and will be more demand for the Y and also he couldn't quite produce the Y in the past at the future production levels (that's a mind / time bender for you). I think the Y is a great looking car as is the 3 and the X and the S. And am thinking of getting one as my 3rd Tesla to go with the X and S.

 

[Eriamjh1138]

The X shouldn't exist. It set the Y back 2-3 years.

 

[Jbailey]

The X shouldn't exist. It set the Y back 2-3 years.

I know...but I really want one. Loved my model S and love my model P3D+, but good god to just hear my car play a rock Christmas song with light and door choreography and to be able to spot it in a huge parking lot by extending the doors upwards would be worth re-mortgaging the house, cancelling retirement plans and my wife divorcing me.

 

[BBone]

I know...but I really want one. Loved my model S and love my model P3D+, but good god to just hear my car play a rock Christmas song with light and door choreography and to be able to spot it in a huge parking lot by extending the doors upwards would be worth re-mortgaging the house, cancelling retirement plans and my wife divorcing me.

At least you could always live in the X? And have Christmas entertainment with the doors/music

 

[Eriamjh1138]

I know...but I really want one.

Tell me about it! I consider the FWDs the coolest thing since the 1961-67 suicide door Lincoln Continental Convertibles! The Lincolns were also mechanical and electrical disasters when they were new and are difficult to maintain. That didn’t stop me.

I have a 66 and would love to add an X

But the X was never part of Elon’s plan! Why it happened, I don’t know. He got distracted by the coolness factor.

 

[gavine]

But the X was never part of Elon’s plan! Why it happened, I don’t know. He got distracted by the coolness factor.

Elon's kids were very young at the time and he wanted something that allowed for easy loading and unloading of kids in child seats. You might say the X was built for Elon-himself.

 

[Boourns]

I think that within 3 years Tesla will be selling far more Y’s than 3’s.

Elon said during the reveal that he expected the Y to outsell the S, X, and 3 combined.

 

[MXWing]

Definitely. Everything from the car to manufaturablity looks good but Tesla stock still got a beating because people say it's underwhelming. Imagine what those same people would say if Tesla makes it super fancy with a lot of bells and whistles.

Classic case of damned if you do - damned if you don’t.

I totally stand it by it being the right product, at the right place and at the right time.

Model Y is what it is supposed to be. No more,
No less.

Except that almost 100% glass roof was sexy AF when I got to ride in it.

 

[jboy210]

I know...but I really want one. Loved my model S and love my model P3D+, but good god to just hear my car play a rock Christmas song with light and door choreography and to be able to spot it in a huge parking lot by extending the doors upwards would be worth re-mortgaging the house, cancelling retirement plans and my wife divorcing me.

Love the X, and my wife does also! Win-win. BMW 335 just sits and gathers dust now.

 

[MXWing]

Love the X, and my wife does also! Win-win. BMW 335 just sits and gathers dust now.

Sell while you still can.