Tesla Model Y Compact SUV confirmed as Tesla completes its ‘S3XY’ range

The Tesla Model Y will, as expected, be a compact SUV based on the Model 3’s platform, confirms Elon Musk. But it might be a while.

It had always been thought that Elon Musk would deliver a compact electric SUV with the Model Y moniker to add to the existing Model S, Model X and Model 3 and complete the schoolboy prank of having a range of cars which spell out S.3.X.Y (and which would have spelt S.E.X.Y if Ford hadn’t scuppered Musk’s plan to call the Model 3 the Model E).

Although Tesla has released no proper details, Musk’s update to his Master Plan (he really has watched too many Bond films) confirmed a more compact SUV based on the Model 3 was in the pipeline, and he further confirmed the Model Y name in a Twitter exchange about Telsa’s future naming convention.

In reality, there’s little prospect of Tesla delivering a Model Y this decade, faced as they are with the almost impossible task of going from being not much more than a boutique car maker to something very mainstream with the Model 3, with production levels of over 500,000 planned – in just two years time.

Which makes the proclamations from Musk on the Model Y,  and his assertion recently that the Model 3 will generate annual sales of $20 billion and profits of $5 billion – making it one of the top ten selling cars in the world, and the most profitable too – more about pleasing the Tesla groupies and investors than anything else.

But it’s entertainment.