Overview
- Reuters, citing four people familiar with the matter, reported Thursday that Tesla has contacted suppliers about an all‑new compact SUV that is not a variant of the Model 3 or Model Y.
- Sources say the vehicle would measure about 4.28 meters (roughly 14 feet) and be produced first in Shanghai, with possible expansion to factories in the United States and Europe.
- Two sources said Tesla is targeting a price below the base Model 3 by cutting weight to about 1.5 metric tons, using a smaller battery, and offering a single motor, which would trade some driving range for a lower sticker price.
- The project remains in early development with no production greenlight, and the people familiar said output this year is unlikely; Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.
- One source and a Tesla employee said the design could support both driverless use and human driving to serve markets where regulators have not approved fully autonomous vehicles.