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Bolt EV Beware: Tesla Model Y SUV Teased, Supposedly Coming In 2019

General Motors has been keeping its future electric vehicle plans hush-hush, but as always, Telsa CEO Elon Musk wasn’t coy about future product. In fact, he teased the upcoming Tesla Model Y during a shareholder meeting.

The Model Y will be a smaller SUV than the Model X, meaning it could size up more like the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. Chevrolet does refer to the Bolt EV as a crossover, after all. Musk reiterated the Model Y will not be built atop the Model 3’s platform and it will use its own dedicated architecture. He also stated it will have its own dedicated factory, according to Inside EVs.

Despite the Model 3’s launch still potentially months out, Musk is already confident the Model Y will outsell the Model 3 sedan.

“…we are aiming for that to hit the roads in 2019 approximately. And probably the demand for Model Y will exceed the demand for Model 3.”

Other manufacturers are also taking to fully electric crossovers. Kia and Hyundai will reportedly introduce an all-electric subcompact crossover, notably. Where Chevrolet goes next with its technology underpinning the Bolt EV remains to be seen, though.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. If it can’t at least tie a pop up trailer up a dirty mountain road in a national forest than it isn’t an SUV. The traverse crossover smashes most other “SUV’s” is comparison. Get it right, a hatchback is what this will be.

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  2. GM can at least offer hybrid SUV’s

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  3. Any supercharger on the Moab trail?

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  4. Another Tesla? Yawn.

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  5. Only Elon Musk could confirm in advance the success of the Model Y SUV.

    Then targeting a production start date for sometime 2019?

    And they still need to build a new factory?

    Reply
  6. The Y is definitely aimed at the right segment. Compact to midsize crossovers are what many people want, and we are shopping for an Equinox replacement ourselves. I’d love it to be a BEV.

    I highly doubt Musk will make the Y as small as the Bolt. That’s a subcompact CUV as far as I’m concerned, at only 164″ in length. I’m hoping this is closer to the 3, which is about 183″.

    I wish GM would attack the heart of the CUV market with its EVs/Plug-In Hybrids (Voltec).

    Reply
  7. Everyone with $1,000 deposits for the new Model 3 can get get a refund, then place new deposits for the Model Y !

    What if most new crossover buyers choose a Hybrid based vehicle, which may be the most cost effective?

    Reply
  8. Chevy needs a pure electric compact or sub compact SUV, and hybrid medium and large ones as also a Colorado and silverado hybrids.

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    1. They already have a compact/subcompact crossover, the Bolt. It’s only 164″ in length.

      They need something Equinox sized, and then something Acadia sized.

      Reply
      1. the Equinox is a compact suv and the Trax is subcompact. so, why not a hybrid or pure electric Trax and Equinox???

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  9. The Trax and Bolt are too similar in size.

    The Equinox I agree with.

    GM doesn’t seem too eager to push pure electrics or Voltec plug-in hybrids.

    Reply
  10. Yes Trax and Bolt are nearly similar in size, but the Trax is a sub compact SUV the Bolt is not. It will give more diversity to Chevy portfolio while the platform still exist.

    Reply
    1. http://www.chevrolet.com/bolt-ev-electric-vehicle#

      “A crossover design from the inside out, Bolt EV is a natural head turner….”

      Chevrolet considers it a crossover. Not saying they are correct, but that’s the official classification.

      After making an Equinox EV, next, they’d be better off spending development resources on something at the larger end of the scale, Acadia/Traverse/Enclave. There is no competition except the XC90 T8 which is far more expensive.

      Reply
      1. Yes, they are playing with words for the bolt.
        A Traverse or Suburban hybrid and Colorado/ Silverado could be very good and GM has the cars and platforms to use within Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick, while Tesla has to invest on new platforms

        Reply

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