Tesla is Now Offering the Model Y With New '4680' Battery Cells

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Tesla's wait times for the Model Y have gotten ridiculous. The standard Model Y Long Range trim with the 19-inch wheels has an estimated delivery time between February and May 2023. For consumers that place an order for that configuration now, they're looking at waiting roughly a year before their SUV actually gets delivered. That's absolutely bonkers. There's some good news for current reservation holders that live near Tesla's new Gigafactory in Texas, as the automaker has come out with a new Tesla Y configuration with much quicker delivery times. 

New Model Y Introduced

According to Inside EVs, an email has started to make the rounds on social media about a new Model Y trim. The email was sent out to current Model Y reservation holders that live near Tesla's Gigafactory in Austin, Texas. The email offers current reservation holders in the area with the opportunity to trade their current reservations with a new trim. Wait times for the new trim are a few weeks. 

"You have the opportunity to experience our latest configuration and take delivery within weeks," reads the email. "Select Model Y All-Wheel Drive and experience one of the first vehicles built at Gigafactory Texas – and currently only available in the area. Go anywhere with up to 279 miles on a single charge and accelerate from 0-60 mph in as little as 5.0 seconds." 

The email seems legit and clearly highlights a new Model Y configuration from Tesla. Tesla has been hard at work on boosting Model Y production at its new factory in Texas and it looks like the first few models are finally starting to come out. It's also very Tesla-like to only offer a few models to consumers that live in the area. 

How The New Model Y Compares

More information on the email can be found on social media, as an image was shared on Twitter about the availability of the new Model Ys. Tesla has a few options of the new Model Y trim available for current reservation holders to choose from. They range from having 3 to 25 miles on the odometer and cost between $60,990 and $61,990. Range for the Model Ys range from 269 to 279 miles with the only change we can see being larger 20-inch wheels. All of the SUVs have a zero-to-60 mph time of 5 seconds and a top speed of 135 mph. 

While a lot of people will probably choose the new Model Y because of its much quicker delivery time, it doesn't look that great of a vehicle compared to the base Model Y. The Long Range trim offers up to 330 miles of range and costs $62,990 (without destination). The new Model Y All-Wheel Drive coming out of Tesla's Gigafactory Texas with the new 4680 battery cells is roughly $1,000 less, but loses 50 miles of range. 

The majority of Tesla's consumers are people that want to be early adopters and have something that no one else does, so we expect the new Model Y trim to be popular with current reservation holders that have the opportunity to switch orders. We expect to see the new Model Y go live on Tesla's website soon, though the ongoing chip shortage could delay the vehicle's launch. 

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods