(Tesla)
Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the company is on track to launch two new products next year, but you may only be able to buy one of them.
The long-awaited Model Y small SUV is slated to go on sale near the end of 2020, Musk revealed during the company’s quarterly earnings call on Wednesday.
In fact, he suggested that Tesla may start building some earlier in the year in low volumes, with production ramping up as an assembly line planned for the company’s Gigafactory in Nevada comes up to speed. The facility currently produces battery packs for the company's automotive and energy products. However, Musk did caution that if any obstacles come up, everything could change.
(Tesla)
As for what to expect of the Model Y, Tesla has only released a few shadowy teaser images that show its basic shape, but Musk said that it will share about 75 percent of its parts with the Model 3 sedan. That means you can probably expect available all-wheel-drive and a maximum range approaching 300 miles per charge for a couple of thousand more than the equivalent Model 3.
Tesla Semi (Tesla)
During the call, Tesla President Jerome Guillen said he also hopes to have the Tesla Semi in production next year. The sleek tractor as already been unveiled and is currently being tested on public roads. Tesla has a few hundred orders for the $150,000-$180,000 truck, but those customers may have to wait a little longer to pick theirs up. Guillen said the first Semis will be used for Tesla’s own logistics, so its first inline until its shipping fleet is full.
(Tesla)
Before any of this happens, Tesla may offer a peek at another one of its upcoming models, as Musk said it might be ready to show the pickup truck it has in the works sometime this summer.
“It will be something quite unique, unlike anything else,” Musk said.
No timeline for its production was offered, but Musk has previously said it looks like something from “Blade Runner” and will have several first of their kind features.
A likely humorous rendering of a gigantic pickup with what appears to be an F-150 in its bed was released last year, but there may end up being a Ford in front of it.
Ford confirmed earlier this month that it has a fully-electric F-150 in the works, and the truck is due for an update in 2021.