The Tesla Model 2 is rumoured to have a starting price of about RM118,188
With the Tesla Model 3 Highlander already unveiled and the Cybertruck nearing the start of customer deliveries, Tesla could soon complete development on what will likely become its most important car, the long-awaited USD25,000 (about RM118,188) mass-market electric vehicle (EV). But what will it look like?
Walter Isaacson’s recently released Elon Musk biography might offer some clues. It provided an unprecedented first look at Tesla’s robotaxi concept, which is expected to preview the brand’s self-driving car that will share the next-generation platform and assembly line with the USD25,000 model which is set to be the brand’s cheapest EV.
Moreover, starting from a design sketch of the robotaxi concept from Isaacson’s book and using the tip that both the robotaxi and the USD25,000 EV will borrow design cues from the Cybertruck, Motor1.com Italy’s rendering artist envisioned what the mass-market EV might eventually look like.
The exclusive rendering reveals what many have dubbed the Model 2 (though Musk has stated that it won’t be called that) which sports similar lines to the Cybertruck. According to Isaacson’s book, the simplicity of the body shape featuring many straight, flat surfaces will be more than just striking to look at.
On top of that, it will also help Tesla reduce production and assembly costs and as with all its models, the brand will prioritise aerodynamics with its entry-level “Model 2,” hence, the arched roof and flush door handles in this rendering. The vehicle should fit in the compact segment, slotting below the Model 3 in the brand’s lineup.
Both the mass-market model and the robotaxi are likely to share the same powertrain, and will also likely feature an LFP battery. Tesla has also said in April in its Master Plan Part 3 that the compact car will feature a 53kWh LFP battery pack. Given this capacity, it is reasonable to expect a driving range of up to about 402km.
Tesla is expected to start production of both EVs between 2024 and 2025 at its Giga Texas plant in Austin, but the entry-level EV will be made in China and Mexico later on, and possibly in India, where Tesla is reportedly planning a new factory. So how much do you think Tesla will sell the “Model 2” in Malaysia for?
Also, what do you guys think of this rendering? Will it prove accurate when the car is released? Let’s wait and see. We got all this from InsideEVs and their full article is linked here. Thank you InsideEVs for the information and images.
