After previously stating that the upcoming Tesla Model Y compact SUV would utilize a brand new architecture, CEO Elon Musk confirmed that the vehicle would in fact have substantial carryover from Model 3 components.
Speaking during the questions and answers portion of the company’s Q2 Earnings call, Musk noted that Tesla’s executive team brought him back from the “cliffs of insanity”. Adding, “after talking to my executive team, the Model Y will use a significant amount of Model 3 components.”
Musk had stated in the past that Model Y would be built on a completely new architecture and from a dedicated factory. Part of the new chassis would have been a complete overhaul of the electrical and data wiring throughout the vehicle. Musk had previously specified that the vehicle would use roughly 100m of wiring, versus 1500m in the Model 3 and 3000m in the Model S/X. Musk also touched on the use of Tesla’s “flex circuit” for the upcoming vehicle.
“The executive team wheeled me back from the cliffs of insanity,” Musk said in reference to the decision to keep the Model Y reliant on the Model 3’s architecture.
Tesla’s decision to build the Model Y on existing architecture will allow the company to achieve market penetration significantly faster, and put it closer to a 2019 launch. Musk also added that the, “Model Y will have low technical and production risk as a result (of riding on the Model 3 platform).”
Tesla Model Y Compact SUV rendering [Source: RM Car Design]
Initially Tesla planned for the Model X to ride on the Model S platform, but Musk explained that due to the Model X’s complex design the vehicles actually share very few parts. It seems that Tesla is now committed to having the upcoming Model Y ride on a very similar platform to the Model 3, which should make bringing the vehicle to market easier.
Musk expressed interest in developing a next-gen platform at some point, just not for the Model Y. Perhaps the next Model S/X will ride on this revolutionary design, after all they are Tesla’s flagship vehicles.
