Electric Vehicles

Tesla Model Y could see double demand of Model 3: Musk

Published by

Tesla CEO and founder Elon Musk expects to reach an annual production rate of half a million for the Model 3 version of the company’s electric vehicle range later this year, and predicts that the upcoming all-electric SUV, the Model Y, could be twice as popular as its current best-selling electric sedan.

Speaking during the Tesla Q4 earnings call earnings call on Thursday morning (Australian time), Musk spoke about the highly anticipated all-electric SUV.

“I expect the demand for the Model Y will be maybe 50% higher than the Model 3,” Musk said, adding that he saw annual demand for the existing Model 3 at around 700,000 to 800,000 units a year, and maybe as low as 500,000 if a recession emerges.

“It could be even double. The mid-size SUV segment is worldwide the most popular type of vehicle, so we will probably see higher volume of Y than 3.”

If Musk is right, the success of the Model Y will represent a successful next stage for the EV maker, which still has its sights set quite firmly on its goal of upturning the automotive world to reduce carbon emission levels irrevocably.

Musk noted that after a year that was both challenging, and its most successful, Tesla had grabbed 80 per cent of the EV market in the US, with the Model 3 being the most successful premium car of any type. “I think that’s not bad,” he said.

Read the full story on RenewEconomy’s electric vehicle-dedicated site, The Driven…

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

Bridie Schmidt

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

Share
Published by

Recent Posts

New solar-battery hybrid promising four hours of storage near Canberra seeks federal green light

The local renewable energy arm electronics giant Samsung is seeking a green light from the…

21 July 2026

Who will supply historic gold mining centre’s grid-saving vanadium flow battery?

State government begins evaluating proposals for a 10-hour vanadium flow battery to support the grid…

21 July 2026

“We’re losing time:” Planning delays adding costs and complexity to new renewable projects

Developers say ever increasing planning delays are adding cost and complexity to new wind projects,…

21 July 2026

Solar’s end-of-life problem is not about panel age, it’s about shifting economics and untested plans

Solar decommissioning plans are written into leases and planning consents, but what really determines an…

21 July 2026

The little big battery using local smarts and deeper storage to help fill gap in most renewable grid

Two local companies join forces to help deliver what the world-leading renewables state needs more…

21 July 2026

Scientists identify key material that could finally deliver low cost green hydrogen

Australian and Chinese researchers find that tweaking one key substance could help deliver low cost…

21 July 2026