Author: Neal E. Boudette and Raymond Zhong / Source: New York Times
Frederic J. Brown/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Tesla has unveiled a seven-seat compact sport-utility vehicle called the Model Y, in its latest effort to broaden its product range while contending with problems on a number of fronts.
Speaking on Thursday night at an event at the company’s design center in Hawthorne, Calif.
, Elon Musk, Tesla’s chief executive, touted the new electric vehicle’s performance and safety-focused design.“It has the functionality of an S.U.V., but it will ride like a sports car,” Mr. Musk said. “This thing will be really tight in corners. And we expect it will be the safest midsize S.U.V. in the world by far.”
The Model Y will be available beginning next year, the company said, at prices ranging from $39,000 to $60,000, depending on the model, with a $2,500 deposit.
Various versions will be produced in North America, Europe and China, Tesla said. A long-range version will be able to drive 300 miles on a single charge, it said, while the $60,000 Performance model will have a top speed of 150 miles per hour. The new vehicle will be available in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Germany, the Netherlands and a number of other European countries.
The Model Y unveiling comes as Tesla confronts sales challenges in Europe and China, markets it has been counting on for expansion.
The company has also faced some operational uncertainty. Two weeks ago, Mr. Musk announced that Tesla would begin selling a long-awaited version of its…
The post Tesla Model Y, a New S. U.V., Is Unveiled Amid Mounting Challenges appeared first on FeedBox.