The new Model Y crossover that Tesla hopes will satisfy growing consumer preference for bigger vehicles didn’t make it to the Shanghai auto show.
The car instead will be shown at an event in the U.S. later this month, a Tesla spokeswoman said Tuesday. Still, Tesla is showcasing two Model 3 cars, a Model X and a Model S at its booth.
CEO Elon Musk unveiled the Model Y last month even though Tesla won’t deliver the electric vehicles to customers for another year. A prototype of the mid-sized Model Y was roughly 10 percent bigger than the company’s best-selling Model 3 sedan.
Initially, three higher-end editions of the new vehicle will be available, with a standard version scheduled to arrive in spring 2021 for about $39,000. The company immediately began taking $2,500 pre-orders for the vehicle, a move that contributed to some analyst concerns about the company’s cash position.
Tesla’s presence in China is critical as the country tries to capitalize on the world’s largest market for EVs. The company is building a factory in Shanghai that could be partly operating by year end, a city official said last month.
