‘Budget’ Tesla Model Y Standard and Model 3 Standard REVEALED – but are they coming to the UK?

The ‘budget’ Tesla Model Y Standard and Model 3 Standard are revealed as de-specced models at a lower price. But are they heading for the UK?

Tesla’s dominance of the EV market has been undeniable for quite a long time, but recently sales have started to slip as Chinese rivals – and some legacy car makers – challenge Tesla’s dominance with equally able EVs at keen prices. And let’s not forget the backlash Elon Musk’s political stance has garnered.

Clearly, Tesla needs to react to the rapidly evolving EV marketplace, but rather than coming up with new models, it has decided to launch de-specced versions of its two main models. Say hello to the new Tesla Model Y Standard (above) and Model 3 Standard (below).

Tesla claims the new Standard models are the most efficient yet, promising range of 321 miles on the US EPA Test – probably more like 350 miles on WLTP – thanks to some aero tweaks, tweaked front and rear bumpers, 18″ Aperture wheels and without the full-width lightbar of the latest Model Y.

Inside, it’s cloth seat time to signal you’re in a budget Tesla, with the glass roof gone (actually, still there but covered), normal suspension instead of frequency dampers and a slightly lower charging rate.

In the US, the new Standard models are around 10% cheaper than the current entry-level models, but Tesla isn’t being forthcoming on plans to launch the new models in the UK and Europe.

However, Automotive News Europe is reporting that Tesla’s Plant in Berlin is gearing up to build the new models in the coming weeks, and as that Plant now also builds Teslas bound for the UK, it looks likely the new Standard models will be heading for the UK soon.