After the Performance version, it would seem that Tesla is starting to produce a new variant of Tesla Model Y, which has never been seen before. A new battery supplier would also be on the program.
The Chinese manufacturer BYD had specified at the beginning of the year that it would supply batteries to Tesla, without further details. Today we learn that it would be destined for the Gigafactory in Berlin, to produce a new variant of the Model Y electric SUV.
A structural battery, but not made by Tesla
We recently summarized what we knew about Tesla’s famous 4680 cells, and in particular that they were going to be used for a structural battery pack, essential in the American manufacturer’s plans.
However, with production volumes which are still very low, it is necessary for Elon Musk’s firm to use batteries from other suppliers. This is how BYD, a Chinese battery manufacturer, signed a contract with Tesla to supply it with the batteries needed for its Tesla Model Y.
We learn today that these batteries would be destined for the Gigafactory in Berlin, which only produces Tesla Model Y Performance for the moment. However, a new battery variant of Tesla Model Y has just been approved, and everything suggests that BYD’s batteries are intended for it. These batteries would form a structural pack, easier to integrate into the current production lines of Tesla’s German factory.
The Tesla Model Y Propulsion would become reality
It would be a Tesla Model Y Propulsion, equipped with a battery of around 55 kWh, and which would have a range in the WLTP cycle of 440 kilometers. This would echo the Tesla Model 3 Propulsion, which remains the brand’s most popular car thanks to its more reasonable price, although it has increased in recent months.
Tesla would therefore arrive in Europe with the equivalent of the Tesla Model Y Propulsion which has been available in China for many months, and which some customers are impatiently waiting for here. Indeed, with current prices starting at 64,990 euros, the Tesla Model Y is far from accessible.
A Propulsion version with a smaller battery would no doubt make it possible to lower the price by around 10,000 euros, which would also allow it to be eligible for the ecological bonus. According to rumors, this variant of Tesla Model Y could be produced as early as September 2022 in Berlin, for deliveries before the end of the year.
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