Tesla Removes Cheapest and Texas-Built Model Y Trim – Raising Eyebrows

Tesla has removed its cheapest Model Y trim from its online configurator for orders in the US. It also happens to be its cheapest Model Y.

Could it be related to the Cybertruck?

Tesla often makes changes to its vehicle lineups without announcement. It changes prices, options, and even sometimes whole vehicle trims altogether.

This time, it’s the latter.

In an overnight update to its online configurator in the US, Tesla has removed the base Model Y:

The trim was sometimes referred to as the Model Y AWD (not standard range, and not long range), or the Model Y from Texas.

It was a variant of the Model Y built with 4680 cells out of Gigafactory Texas.

At times, Tesla has grayed out variants in its online configurator – making them inaccessible to order, but this time, it has removed the Model Y AWD altogether.

This is raising some questions.

Electrek’s Take

There is a lot of speculation going around about this move from Tesla. It comes as rumors that Tesla has shut down production of Model Y production in Texas, which now seems likely to be true with this move.

Top comment by dmce Liked by 11 people

On the Q2 earnings call Drew Baglino said that Tesla was about to start production of a 4680 cell with 10% higher energy density than the one used in Model Y AWD. That cell will be used in the Cybertruck. I believe that switchover is happening now and 4680 cell production in Austin will be dedicated to CT for the foreseeable future.

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The most logical explanation is that Tesla has shifted all resources to Cybertruck manufacturing for the start of production.

That could include the 4680 cells used for Model Y production now going to Cybertruck for some bigger-scale final batch testing or even actual production units.

It could also be other resources, including human resources. I don’t know.

I’d love to hear your theories in the comments section below.