Coud Tesla offer an "AWD Lite" CT in 4Q 2025?

[Speedr]

It's 100% on tesla.com...just go to the model Y page and go to developer tools, then sources, then Model Y, then Design and it's after the RWD

I think it lists every known combination known to man in there lol...

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[SCTesla]

I’d rather get a slightly used Y. Weak sauce Tesla if this is for real.

I think it lists every known combination known to man in there lol...

There are 4 for the MY. The Standard was added today with range, pricing, picture, etc.

 

[YDR37]

There are 4 for the MY. The Standard was added today with range, pricing, picture, etc.

You're right, I see it in the code. But it's still hidden from general view, so Tesla apparently isn't ready to announce it or take orders.

The $39,990 price is buried in there, but it could be just a placeholder for now. Doesn't seem like a game changer at that price.

 

[hemiarch]

You're right, I see it in the code. But it's still hidden from general view, so Tesla apparently isn't ready to announce it or take orders.

The $39,990 price is buried in there, but it could be just a placeholder for now. Doesn't seem like a game changer at that price.

What about $40k with FSD?would that be a changer?

 

[Mini2nut]

I was thinking $70,990 for the Cybertruck "lite" trim.

 

[HaulingAss]

I know you’re right, but I hate the 3 in comparison. Please don’t be offended 3 people. It’s small, doesn’t feel as safe and the suspension as well as the seats are a huge downgrade. The steering feels twitchy by comparison, the cargo space is way inferior and so on.

I can tell you haven't driven the new Model 3 Performance. My wife picked one up late last year and it has a few niceties that don't even come on the non-Performance highland model. Not saying it's the right car for a family man, but many of your comments seem based upon the old Model 3 AWD without adaptive suspension, the original seats, and with the faster steering rack.

I actually prefer the "twitchy" steering in our 2018 Model 3's because it's more responsive (and there is less hand-over-hand action needed in tight quarters) but everything else about the new "Highland" version is better (except the slightly smaller frunk). It's just a much nicer car. The seats are more supportive and ventilated (and I loved the old seats), the ride quality with the active suspension is less bouncy, the handling is better (except for the less responsive steering rack), the rage/efficiency is better, the cabin environment is dramatically quieter and more luxurious feeling, even the stereo is slightly better. It feels like a different car when you drive or ride in it.

I don't actually find the steering in the old Model 3's to be "twitchy", just very responsive in a good way. The detuned steering on the new models might be good for the mass market, but it was a big miss for me. It could be the Model 3(s) you drove had less than ideal toe-in. It's such a sharp steering car that it's quite sensitive to small alignment settings or different tires. I can easily afford literally any new car available, and beside the Cybertruck, my pick is the newer Highland Performance Model 3 (even with the slower steering rack). I would go get myself one, but I'm too sentimentally attached to my original 2018 Model 3 Performance, which still looks and drives like a new car.

 

[hemiarch]

I can tell you haven't driven the new Model 3 Performance. My wife picked one up late last year and it has a few niceties that don't even come on the non-Performance highland model. Not saying it's the right car for a family man, but many of your comments seem based upon the old Model 3 AWD without adaptive suspension, the original seats, and with the faster steering rack.

I actually prefer the "twitchy" steering in our 2018 Model 3's because it's more responsive (and there is less hand-over-hand action needed in tight quarters) but everything else about the new "Highland" version is better (except the slightly smaller frunk). It's just a much nicer car. The seats are more supportive and ventilated (and I loved the old seats), the ride quality with the active suspension is less bouncy, the handling is better (except for the less responsive steering rack), the rage/efficiency is better, the cabin environment is dramatically quieter and more luxurious feeling, even the stereo is slightly better. It feels like a different car when you drive or ride in it.

I don't actually find the steering in the old Model 3's to be "twitchy", just very responsive in a good way. The detuned steering on the new models might be good for the mass market, but it was a big miss for me. It could be the Model 3(s) you drove had less than ideal toe-in. It's such a sharp steering car that it's quite sensitive to small alignment settings or different tires. I can easily afford literally any new car available, and beside the Cybertruck, my pick is the newer Highland Performance Model 3 (even with the slower steering rack). I would go get myself one, but I'm too sentimentally attached to my original 2018 Model 3 Performance, which still looks and drives like a new car.

Ok. Fair. I haven’t given the new m3p a shot. I should do that. Will test drive one this weekend. I did drive a highland rwd and in that car I felt like it was trying unsuccessfully to be a smaller version of our x. Everything just seemed kind of diluted compared to the x and S cars I’ve driven.
Maybe the higher trim level will change my mind.
As for the steering, I see where you’re coming from and I also prefer more responsive steering but for me the teslas have never really been “sports cars” they are more pragmatic commuters. Even the fast ones have felt more about achieving a stat than a truly driver-centric involving machine.
Sounds like the m3p may change my mind on that.
Thanks for the tip

 

[HaulingAss]

Just out of curiosity, if you like the Model S, what are your thoughts on the Lucid Air? I've never driven one myself, but Lucid makes no secret that they are targeting Model S customers. They claim 480 - 512 miles of range in the Grand Touring trim.

Beside the good points @hemiarch made, and those things are important in a fundamental way, it's not an extra 100 miles of range that makes or breaks a car for road trips, it's the quality of the charging network. It has to be predictable, reliable and well located. This is what matters on a road trip, regardless of how much range the car has.

 

[HaulingAss]

Ok. Fair. I haven’t given the new m3p a shot. I should do that. Will test drive one this weekend. I did drive a highland rwd and in that car I felt like it was trying unsuccessfully to be a smaller version of our x. Everything just seemed kind of diluted compared to the x and S cars I’ve driven.
Maybe the higher trim level will change my mind.
As for the steering, I see where you’re coming from and I also prefer more responsive steering but for me the teslas have never really been “sports cars” they are more pragmatic commuters. Even the fast ones have felt more about achieving a stat than a truly driver-centric involving machine.
Sounds like the m3p may change my mind on that.
Thanks for the tip

To be clear, it's probably not the right car for you. I just like cars that fit me like a glove (and I'm 6'-04"). Something about the ergos of the S just doesn't make me happy. It's comfortable enough but I feel like I'm sunk down into it rather than sitting on top of it (if that makes sense). And it's a bit big considering it's either just me and my wife or solo 98% of the time.

The Cybertruck doesn't bother me in that way, because I feel like I'm sitting on top of it. Which makes sense, Tesla gave it truck ergos.

 

[YDR37]

What about $40k with FSD?would that be a changer?

Sure -- if Tesla wants to bundle an $8,000 option with a $39,990 vehicle at no additional cost, that does change the value proposition. In theory, Tesla could include the whole Luxe Package at no extra cost, so that the owners of entry-level $39,990 MYs could enjoy Free Supercharging, as well as FSD.

Unfortunately, this doesn't seem like a realistic possibility. It's true that Tesla has made FSD a standard feature on the Medel S, Model X, and Cyberbeast, as a component of the Luxe Package. But it's also true that Tesla raised the prices of those models by $10,000 to $15,000 at the same time. They are not going to offer FSD as a free incentive, except maybe for a limited-time trial period.

 

[YDR37]

Beside the good points @hemiarch made, and those things are important in a fundamental way, it's not an extra 100 miles of range that makes or breaks a car for road trips, it's the quality of the charging network. It has to be predictable, reliable and well located. This is what matters on a road trip, regardless of how much range the car has.

I acknowledge that point, but Lucids have reportedly had access to the Tesla Supercharging network since July. The Airs apparently do require a $220 adapter (the newer Lucid Gravity has NACS), and presumably they pay more to charge than Teslas.

Edit: it looks like Airs (not Gravitys) only charge slowly at Superchargers. So they technically do have access, but in kind of a crippled way. That does seem like a significant drawback, although it seems likely that Airs will get NACS eventually.

 

[hemiarch]

Sure -- if Tesla wants to bundle an $8,000 option with a $39,990 vehicle at no additional cost, that does change the value proposition. In theory, Tesla could include the whole Luxe Package at no extra cost, so that the owners of entry-level $39,990 MYs could enjoy Free Supercharging, as well as FSD.

Unfortunately, this doesn't seem like a realistic possibility. It's true that Tesla has made FSD a standard feature on the Medel S, Model X, and Cyberbeast, as a component of the Luxe Package. But it's also true that Tesla raised the prices of those models by $10,000 to $15,000 at the same time. They are not going to offer FSD as a free incentive, except maybe for a limited-time trial period.

Agree, but if they offered say two years of this, there is no way the R2 and similar competitors could ever touch that. It would leverage teslas best strengths which in my opinion are the supercharger network and FSD. It would also create consumers with habits that would then generate an income after two years. Ongoing FSD subscriptions and paid supercharging. Take or leave the tire part which I’m not sure is that brilliant of an idea to start with.

 

[YDR37]

Agree, but if they offered say two years of this, there is no way the R2 and similar competitors could ever touch that. It would leverage teslas best strengths which in my opinion are the supercharger network and FSD. It would also create consumers with habits that would then generate an income after two years. Ongoing FSD subscriptions and paid supercharging. Take or leave the tire part which I’m not sure is that brilliant of an idea to start with.

I get where you're coming from, but not sure that I agree.

Yes, Tesla could give free long-term trials of FSD to the buyers of $39,990 RWD MYs or other inexpensive models. And yes, they might love it. But chances are that they still won't subscribe at the end of the trial period, simply because FSD costs too much. If you buy a stripped $39,990 MY, it means that you are cost-conscious, and in that case you may not be in a position to tack another $99 onto the monthly car payment for a luxury item like FSD.

It would make more sense for Tesla to market FSD to the buyers of expensive models, who can better afford it. And that's exactly what Tesla has done, by making FSD a standard feature (as part of the Luxe Package) on the MS, MX, and Cyberbeast.

And yes, Tesla could give a limited-time Free Supercharging offer to buyers of $39,990 RWD MYs or other inexpensive models. But do new Tesla owners really need that incentive to try out the Supercharger network? Even if you are a complete EV newbie, you can probably guess that the best charging experience with a Tesla-branded car is going to be at a Tesla-branded charger. Somehow I doubt that new MY owners need financial incentives to use the Tesla Supercharger network instead of the Electricity America network.

It might actually make more sense for Tesla to offer limited-time Free Supercharging deals to the buyers of Rivians, Lucids, Ford Lightnings, Hyundai Ioniqs, etc. Those non-Tesla owners might need some initial encouragement to check out the Supercharger network, and they might then become hooked.

 

[HaulingAss]

I get where you're coming from, but not sure that I agree.

Yes, Tesla could give free long-term trials of FSD to the buyers of $39,990 RWD MYs or other inexpensive models. And yes, they might love it. But chances are that they still won't subscribe at the end of the trial period, simply because FSD costs too much. If you buy a stripped $39,990 MY, it means that you are cost-conscious, and in that case you may not be in a position to tack another $99 onto the monthly car payment for a luxury item like FSD.

It would make more sense for Tesla to market FSD to the buyers of expensive models, who can better afford it. And that's exactly what Tesla has done, by making FSD a standard feature (as part of the Luxe Package) on the MS, MX, and Cyberbeast.

And yes, Tesla could give a limited-time Free Supercharging offer to buyers of $39,990 RWD MYs or other inexpensive models. But do new Tesla owners really need that incentive to try out the Supercharger network? Even if you are a complete EV newbie, you can probably guess that the best charging experience with a Tesla-branded car is going to be at a Tesla-branded charger. Somehow I doubt that new MY owners need financial incentives to use the Tesla Supercharger network instead of the Electricity America network.

It might actually make more sense for Tesla to offer limited-time Free Supercharging deals to the buyers of Rivians, Lucids, Ford Lightnings, Hyundai Ioniqs, etc. Those non-Tesla owners might need some initial encouragement to check out the Supercharger network, and they might then become hooked.

DCFCharging is a low margin business and there are huge upfront costs to add capacity as well as ongoing costs to maintain the land leases and equipment. Tesla didn't build the Supercharger Network to make money, they built it because the transition to EVs would not happen without it.

Tesla feels no pressure to increase usage except perhaps at under-utilized locations in rural areas. Even that comes with it's own problems because the usage is seasonal in many of those areas. So, they end up having to add capacity to prevent summer lines while having more unused equipment sitting there depreciating all winter.

Tesla tends to offer free Supercharging incentives when they really need it to move already produced stock before the quarter ends.

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