As per a report from Reuters, Tesla is planning to commence the production of its new crossover - Model Y - by November 2019. Reports also suggest that CEO Elon Musk is accepting preliminary bids for supplier contracts on the Model Y. This comes amidst news of continues Model 3 struggles.

Has Tesla bit off more than it can chew?

The Model Y was first teased at Tesla's Annual Shareholder meeting in 2017. The Model Y is basically an affordable version of the Model X. Although the Model Y was supposed to be built on a new platform entirely, Elon Musk admitted that he was being overly ambitious and would now use the same architecture found on the Model 3. It is said that production will commence in November 2019 at the Fremont factory in California and two years later, in China as well.

While this sounds pretty exciting, what is happening to the production of Model 3? The sedan initially attracted around 500,000 orders in the form of refundable deposits in July of last year. However, the company has not been able to deliver the cars on time. Earlier this month, Tesla tried to convince the public and investors that things were getting better, saying the production of the Model 3 had doubled during the first quarter of 2018 and would increase to 5000 units per week by the second quarter.

Model Y being risked to meet deadlines

Conventionally, car manufacturers choose suppliers for the parts two to two-and-a-half years before the production begins. Given that the "ultimatum" is November 2019, Tesla will probably be skipping the pre-production testing phase to escalate the launch of the car. We hope this is not true, especially after the infamous Model X's crash which resulted in a casualty due to Autopilot feature's failure. As for the timeline, one-and-a-half years is "aggressive, but possible", said a source to Reuters. Last year, Tesla announced that it will be using an all-new electrical system in the Model Y. The Model 3 uses around 1500 m of wiring, and that will be slashed to just 100 m in the Model Y; thanks to the new electric systems that utilize different voltage and power transmission hardware. There is no word on the range as of now, but it should be more than Model 3's 310 miles per charge.

Our Take

Tesla is the classic example of 'bite off more than you can chew"; not in the wrong way though. Although it is known for its aggressive timelines and targets, launching a new model without going through all the steps and protocol is a little risky; even though it shares a lot of parts and underpinnings with its sibling, the Model 3. Crossovers and SUV's are seeing a rise in demand these days, and the same could hold true for the Model Y. This crossover is basically a smaller version of the Model X, which makes it an affordable car and could very well be Tesla's best-selling car soon. Also, not to mention the benefits EV's enjoy due to incentives and tax credits. The Model Y is expected to take on BMW i3, Mercedes B-class, and some upcoming models from Ford, Volvo, to name a few. Interestingly, the Model Y has not even begun production and Musk is eyeing an annual sale of 1 million Model Y's! Easy there, Elon. Your confidence is sending chills down our spines. Do you think these 'ambitious visions' can actually be capitalized on? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

References

Read our full review on the 2020 Tesla Model Y.

Read more Tesla news.