[B.Silva]

I like what I've seen so far about the Model Y. I have a Model 3, which I love. But if there were some things I'd change about the 3, it would be a hatchback instead of a trunk, and it would have a factory hitch. Oh, and maybe it would be a little higher up to make it easier to get in and out. In other words, I've love a Model 3 version of a crossover, a 3X if you will.

I'd like a hatch because I want to be able to carry my road bike inside the vehicle. Even with the rear seats folded down, my road bike won't fit inside the trunk of the 3 unless I lower the seat. And it's still a tight fit through the trunk opening. I'd like a factory hitch so I can carry my mountain bikes, or a couple of road bikes, on a hitch rack. I don't really need a 3rd row, just more and better allocated cargo space. I just wish it were available sooner.

I'll have a look when the Audi e-tron comes out but it'll be a lot more expensive than the Model Y. I much prefer the thoughtful design of how things work in the Model 3 over the Audi Q5 I also have.

 

[Guest]

I'd like a factory hitch so I can carry my mountain bikes, or a couple of road bikes, on a hitch rack.

You may consider this very slick stealth eco-hitch. Three of my vehicles are set up for towing and I purchase all of my tow gear from the customer oriented folks at etrailer. I am an OEM parts kinda person for (usually) superior quality and fitment, however, I selected and installed an aftermarket hitch on my van since it is more robust than the factory offer. Many Tesla owners have successfully used these eco hitches for over 5 years now.

https://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2018_Tesla_Model+3.htm

 

[VoltageDrop]

I just watched the livestream now (I had attended the presentation in person). Wow, they really cut out almost all of the crowd noise. Even the music is barely audible in the recording. In person, the crowd was quite loud, and the music was deafening. I actually found it difficult to hear Elon at times. So, it's great that you can hear everything that Elon said during the livestream, but cutting out that much of the crowd noise does make the whole presentation feel like it fell flat. It really didn't in person. It was quite a loud affair.

Actually, that seems pretty typical for a Tesla presentation. A review of the history and why they're proceeding as they are.Elon (and Tesla) didn't start anti-selling the 3 until after the Model 3 unveiling. Go watch it again. He was presenting the Model 3 as the greatest thing ever. Then all of the reservations started rolling in, and he realized his mistake. He quickly started tweeting about how the S and X would remain the halo cars and get all the new features first, etc.

Elon made sure not to make the same mistake with the Model Y. He has described it on twitter as being a stretched Model 3, using 75% of the same parts. It looks almost indistinguishable from a 3. He made sure to state that it will be the best mid-size SUV on the market, but did not talk about any new features compared to other Tesla vehicles. This was an under-selling job. It's mostly a Model 3 with higher profit margins. This shouldn't cost Tesla much more money to make than an equivalent Model 3, but it will have a 10% premium in price. This is going to be Tesla's huge money-maker two years from now. And once they're actually making them, Tesla will be happy to have the Y cannibalize other Tesla sales. But in the meantime, they have to walk that fine line of taking away more ipace and etron sales than Model 3 and X sales. Hopefully he did a good job of that.

I totally agree.....thinking about the whole reveal.....it really did seem like an "under-selling" job.....

Also....I think the room for more "performance" on the performance model 3 is there......but I feel it is purposely being "limited" so as to not cannibalize sales of the S performance......If the M3 would do 0-60 anywhere in the neighborhood of 2.anything.....the case for spending X amount of money more for a few tenths of a second better performance would be a hard sell at that point....not that it isn't already.....but breaking into the sub 3-second 0-60 time is a kind of "holy-grail" area.....that sparks all kinds of talk....as now you are really considered to be in supercar acceleration territory......

Think about it.....with just a software tweak (likely to entice more sales of the M3)....we will see 5% better performance.....bringing you that much closer to the holy grail area...but being careful (on Teslas part) not to break that numerical psychological barrier......(think ludicrous mode and why we don't have one offered on the PM3??)....just my $0.02

 

[JimT]

I think it's pretty easy to imagine what the tesla pickup truck will look like after seeing how they leveraged the model 3 to design the Y.

 

[C.Ross]

Thanks for the helpful insights into the reveal event - being there in person must have been cool.

... if there were some things I'd change about the 3, it would be a hatchback instead of a trunk, and it would have a factory hitch. Oh, and maybe it would be a little higher up to make it easier to get in and out. In other words, I've love a Model 3 version of a crossover, a 3X...

Wouldn't you say that describes the Model Y? (with a hitch)

P.S. I also think a hitch is critical. I switched to the model 3 from a F150 (probably not many make that kind of change), but anyways, with the hitch and a good bike rack I find it is 10x easier to load 4-bikes onto the model 3 than it user to be trying to load 4 bikes into the back of the truck.

 

[JimT]

A Tesla El Camino with 2500 pound towing capacity would be a nice vehicle...

 

[gary in NY]

Regardless of my opinion of the reveal, and first impression of the car, I would have placed a $1,000 reservation, if offered, in support of the company. The straight to order approach is probably correct, eliminating the reservation bookkeeping entirely. I think the timeline is much more realistic, and they should be able to hit the majority of those dates. I love my 3 as it is, but, the Y is starting to grow on me. The more I review the pictures and specs, the more I like it. As always, I will be following all the news.

 

[harrison987]

The Model Y reveal was TERRIBLE.

I really have no idea what marketing strategy (if any), they had in place....but it was by far one of the biggest let downs.

95% of the reveal was to show-off what Tesla already had made...followed by a, "here is the Model Y". It was practically over in 2 minutes...the lighting was awful, and visually, I saw NO difference between that and the Model 3.

I guess I was expecting something a bit cooler...like some of the concept art I have seen.

Elon/Tesla was also preaching to the choir.

In order to sell this Model Y, they should have done the reveal with the goal of bringing in NEW buyers...not a showcase and reveal for people who already own Teslas. It is not the current clients they should be impressing, but rather NEW people they need to bring on board.

 

[C.Ross]

The Model Y reveal was TERRIBLE.

I really have no idea what marketing strategy (if any), they had in place....but it was by far one of the biggest let downs.

95% of the reveal was to show-off what Tesla already had made...followed by a, "here is the Model Y". It was practically over in 2 minutes...the lighting was awful, and visually, I saw NO difference between that and the Model 3.

I guess I was expecting something a bit cooler...like some of the concept art I have seen.

Elon/Tesla was also preaching to the choir.

In order to sell this Model Y, they should have done the reveal with the goal of bringing in NEW buyers...not a showcase and reveal for people who already own Teslas. It is not the current clients they should be impressing, but rather NEW people they need to bring on board.

Keep in mind there are no model Ys to sell right now. There are S, X, and 3 to sell now.

 

[B.Silva]

You may consider this very slick stealth eco-hitch. Three of my vehicles are set up for towing and I purchase all of my tow gear from the customer oriented folks at etrailer. I am an OEM parts kinda person for (usually) superior quality and fitment, however, I selected and installed an aftermarket hitch on my van since it is more robust than the factory offer. Many Tesla owners have successfully used these eco hitches for over 5 years now.

https://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2018_Tesla_Model+3.htm

You may consider this very slick stealth eco-hitch. Three of my vehicles are set up for towing and I purchase all of my tow gear from the customer oriented folks at etrailer. I am an OEM parts kinda person for (usually) superior quality and fitment, however, I selected and installed an aftermarket hitch on my van since it is more robust than the factory offer. Many Tesla owners have successfully used these eco hitches for over 5 years now.

https://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2018_Tesla_Model+3.htm

Thanks. I'm considering an Ecohitch for my Model 3. The company is based near Seattle, where I live. Are you happy with yours?

 

[B.Silva]

Indeed

Thanks for the helpful insights into the reveal event - being there in person must have been cool.

Wouldn't you say that describes the Model Y? (with a hitch)

P.S. I also think a hitch is critical. I switched to the model 3 from a F150 (probably not many make that kind of change), but anyways, with the hitch and a good bike rack I find it is 10x easier to load 4-bikes onto the model 3 than it user to be trying to load 4 bikes into the back of the truck.

Indeed it does describe a Model Y and I put a deposit down on one

 

[$ Trillion Musk]

I get it, the parts sharing between the 2 vehicles allows them to rollout the Model Y without as much difficulty.

However seeing a brand new car with the same wheels, same lights front and back, same interior - all was a bit disappointing.

My first impression on the Model Y was negative because I couldn't tell the difference between that and the Model 3. Same interior, same lights, same wheels... I definitely share your sentiment in that aspect.

At Tesla's current stage, however, common components across different models should actually be looked upon as an enormous positive, translating into millions of dollars in savings and much quicker deliveries, I would assume based on Tesla's track record.

As end customers we have insatiable appetites for "shiny new objects" and, as a result, often take for granted the cost and complexity of production, manufacturing and supply chain. Vehicle manufacturing is one of the worst undertaking if not the worst.

This reviewer makes some excellent points in his video. We should all be cheering for Tesla and Elon for exercising self restraint on the Model Y by avoiding yet another "production hell" period that they had already experienced during the models X & 3 ramp ups. Model Y is Tesla's opportunity to show the world that they have learned from past mistakes:

 

[SoFlaModel3]

My first impression on the Model Y was negative because I couldn't tell the difference between that and the Model 3. Same interior, same lights, same wheels... I definitely share your sentiment in that aspect.

At Tesla's current stage, however, common components across different models should actually be looked upon as an enormous positive, translating into millions of dollars in savings and much quicker deliveries, I would assume based on Tesla's track record.

As end customers we have insatiable appetites for "shiny new objects" and, as a result, often take for granted the cost and complexity of production, manufacturing and supply chain. Vehicle manufacturing is one of the worst undertaking if not the worst.

This reviewer makes some excellent points in his video. We should all be cheering for Tesla and Elon for exercising self restraint on the Model Y by avoiding yet another "production hell" period that they had already experienced during the models X & 3 ramp ups. Model Y is Tesla's opportunity to show the world that they have learned from past mistakes:

Absolutely agree with you!! I find it a little boring but ultimately the mature choice for Tesla to make. Remember when Elon said it would be a unique platform and then backed that off to say it would share with the Model 3? Excellent decision!!

 

[Guest]

Thanks. I'm considering an Ecohitch for my Model 3. The company is based near Seattle, where I live. Are you happy with yours?

Six + year P85 and 1 year 3 owner, I have friends that enjoy their well engineered eco hitch on their S for several years running. I do not have a tow hitch on either of the Teslas.

 

[Scubastevo80]

Bunch of young millenials I work with found the Model 3 too small for their new families. You put a car seat in the back, there's not room for much more, not even sure 2 car seats would easily fit in a Model 3, anyone try? And a Model X is just too expensive for this crowd. So you want an electric vehicle for a young family, what's out there? Anyone compare interior space with the RAV4 or CR-V or other similar sorts of vehicles? I'd guess that several people around here are interested in the Y, simply because it's a Model 3 with more room in the back

We have two car seats in the back of my 3 (and two in our S). The kids, who are 3 and 5, seem to prefer the 3. There is plenty of room for items in the trunk, frunk and small spaces around them in the back seat. I'm sure the Y has more room and a better seating position, but the 3 is just fine.

Question for the masses - how is the 66 cubic feet measured? Industry standard calculates hatchbacks with the second row down, correct? It will be nice to see a usable space comparison to understand how much more space the Y truly has for a family that uses the second row.

 

[Bryan Baker]

Question for the masses - how is the 66 cubic feet measured? Industry standard calculates hatchbacks with the second row down, correct? It will be nice to see a usable space comparison to understand how much more space the Y truly has for a family that uses the second row.

The third row seats down v. up and how it effects volume calculations... seems to be a common question. However, I'm clearly missing something since my experience tells me the seats' mass and volume do not disappear when something is folded. So why does it make a difference in the numerical value of the interior volume?

 

[garsh]

The third row seats down v. up and how it effects volume calculations... seems to be a common question. However, I'm clearly missing something since my experience tells me the seats' mass and volume do not disappear when something is folded. So why does it make a difference in the numerical value of the interior volume?

Because "cargo volume" only considers available space behind upright seats. Therefore having the seats folded gives more "cargo volume".

 

[Scubastevo80]

Because "cargo volume" only considers available space behind upright seats. Therefore having the seats folded gives more "cargo volume".

I'm looking at functional volume, not just raw numbers. Here's a silly but possible situation... if I don't put my kids in the back of the 3, I can certainly put cargo there - let's count it! I'd like to get a sense of volume increases in the frunk and in the Y behind the second row (absent the 3rd row seating).

 

[JWardell]

We will just have to wait for Uncle Björn to do his banana box test.

 

[garsh]

I'm looking at functional volume, not just raw numbers. Here's a silly but possible situation... if I don't put my kids in the back of the 3, I can certainly put cargo there - let's count it! I'd like to get a sense of volume increases in the frunk and in the Y behind the second row (absent the 3rd row seating).

Right. I was just explaining why manufacturers provide more than one value for "cargo volume" - one for seats up, and another for seats down.