Seven-seat Tesla Model Y revealed with 300-mile range

The Long Range model will get 300 miles of range, a 130mph top speed and 5.5 seconds 0-60mph time, and will start at $47,000 (around £35,500). The Dual Motor model will start from $51,000 (£38,500) and have a slightly lower 280 miles of range, but a higher 135mph top speed and 4.8 second 0-60mph time.

The Dual Motor Performance model also gets 280 miles of range, but increases top speed to 150 and drops the 0-60mph sprint time to 3.5 seconds. It will go on sale for $60,000 around (£45,000).

A Standard Range version will follow later in Spring 2021 for $39,000 (roughly £26,000) with 230 miles of range, a 120mph top speed and 5.9 second 0-60mph time.

The Model Y is compatible with Tesla’s third-generation Superchargers, which are capable of 250kW charging. Cars will be able to recover 75 miles of range in five minutes, and charge at rates of up to 1000 miles per hour. Tesla now has more than 12,000 Superchargers globally across 36 countries.

Inside, the Model Y has a similar interior layout to the Model 3, with a single 15in touchscreen interface containing all of the car’s controls, and no traditional instrument cluster. It will also include the same self-driving hardware including Autopilot, which can be unlocked for a fee and upgraded over-the-air as new features get approval from regulatory bodies.

Split-folding second-row seats and a front boot provide a maximum storage space of 66 cubic feet, or more than 1800 litres. A rear hatchback should prove more convenient for loading than the Model 3's tailgate.

Tesla has yet to confirm where the Model Y will be produced, with latest reports suggesting it could be built at the company’s Gigafactory facility in Reno, Nevada. Model 3 production is understood to remain at the company’s Fremont California manufacturing plant. Chinese cars are expected to be built in Tesla’s Shanghai factory, which is still under construction and projected to be completed by the end of 2019.

The Model Y will likely prove pivotal to Tesla, as the worldwide demand for SUVs is significantly higher than it is for saloons. Musk predicted Tesla would go on to sell more Model Ys than Model S, X and 3 combined. The company opened pre-orders after revealing the car, with customers asked for a $2500 deposit. Model Y cars with seven seats won't be available until 2021.

The company also faces new challenges from European car makers including Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which are gearing up to launch their own premium SUVs. Similarly-priced rivals like the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona Electric offer less range. It recently announced a move to online-only sales and plans to close its physical stores, but reversed its decision following customer and employee backlash.