Tesla hatchback: $25K price, 2023 release, possible range and more

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

At that place'south a new Tesla model on the fashion, only it's not an ultra-premium automobile that costs more two year's bacon. Instead Tesla is launching a new low-toll hatchback, which will help the company better compete in the growing low-cost EV market.

While in that location'due south a lot we still don't know about the car, Tesla has told usa enough that we can go a pretty rough idea of what to expect. Here'southward everything nosotros know nearly the Tesla hatchback then far.

9 thing you should know earlier you buy an electrical auto
Here are the best electrical cars yous can purchase right at present
Tesla Model 3 review: How practiced is Tesla'due south cheapest car?

Tesla Hatchback: Release window and price

Elon Musk confirmed that the machine volition cost $25,000. It's unclear whether that is the full buy cost, or if that includes the "potential savings" discount Tesla advertises, and supposedly includes potential federal subsidies and gas savings.

The Tesla hatchback is currently ready to be released in 2023, assuming there are none of the delays that are all too common with new Tesla vehicles. Because both the Roadster and the Cybertruck have been pushed back to 2023, nosotros don't accept loftier hopes the hatchback may also suffer delays equally a result.

However information technology looks similar the car is going to be built at tesla'southward new Shanghai Gigafactory, which is currently used to produce Model iii and Model Y cars. It'll also be the home to a new R&D eye, which is set to piece of work on the Tesla Hatchback, and was completed earlier this year. So hopefully this means production tin can stay on rails.

Tesla Hatchback: Performance and range speculation

Nosotros know very little about the Tesla hatchback's performance at this point, since Tesla hasn't revealed anything nearly the motor. However, given the automobile'south cost tag and presumed size, it's likely that it merely has a single electric motor, though whether it'll be front or rear cycle bulldoze is unclear.

Tesla has withal to produce a front wheel drive car, so it seems rear cycle bulldoze is the more than likely candidate.

As for the range, we have but as few confirmed details. That being said, Elon Musk previously said that the Standard Range Tesla Model Y was discontinued terminal July considering it only had 244 miles of range. Manifestly, Musk believes that anything less than 250 is"unacceptably low".

So unless in that location has been a major philosophical change at Tesla in the past twelvemonth, we can likely expect a minimum of 250 miles from the Tesla hatchback.

Tesla hatchback: Battery and charging

While nosotros don't know what sort of battery capacity to expect, Tesla has already revealed that the Hatchback'south battery uses a tabless design and promises to be 35% smaller than conventional EV batteries. Apparently, that not simply makes the batteries cheaper to produce, information technology'due south also supposed to maked them safer and more powerful.

They're six times more than powerful, According to tesla, with five times more energy in the same space. The automaker claims this means you go 16% more range out of every kWh of ability.

The battery is besides going to help support the hatchback'due south underpinnings, which will aid reduce the car's overall weight. Combined with the smaller, lighter design, Tesla claims this will increase the hatchback'south range by a further 14%.

It'southward non clear what sort of charging speeds to expect with this automobile, though it will no uncertainty be uniform with Tesla's supercharger network. We would be very surprised if it didn't have the same 250kW maximum as other Teslas.

Tesla Hatchback: Design and features

We oasis't seen whatsoever design specs or illustrations of the Tesla hatchback, which seems to have been deliberate. That said, a hatchback is a very particular blueprint, so we should await some sort of Tesla-ified vehicle that looks similar a blend between a Tesla Model Y and something similar a Nissan Leaf or VW ID.iii.

It's also off-white to assume that almost of the traditional Tesla features will be available in the new hatchback, including the company's infotainment system, access to the supercharger network and more.

What we definitely know is that the automobile will take some form of Autopilot involved, with Elon Musk promising the vehicle would exist "fully autonomous." We seriously dubiousness that information technology will take Level 5 autonomy, wherein the car does all of the work and in that location's no demand for an circumspect human in the driver's seat.

Our guess is that Tesla'due south 'Full Self Driving' Autopilot will be available, enabling the car to navigate itself on highways and possibly even city streets. Provided at that place'due south an circumspect man backside the cycle, ready to take over at a moment'southward notice.

Tesla Hatchback: What will it be called?

Tesla hasn't appear what its new hatchback will be called, and some outlets have taken to calling information technology the 'Model ii' — presumably because information technology's smaller and cheaper than Tesla's current entry-level machine the Model iii.

However Elon Musk has already refuted that detail point, killing any risk that the car would be called the Model ii. Not that information technology was particularly probable, should Tesla stick with the naming conventions of its previous cars. After, all Elon Musk deliberately named the Model S through Y because the messages spelled out the word 'Sexy'.

Or Tesla would accept done if Ford didn't own the rights to the proper name 'Model E', which forced Tesla to substitute the number 3 instead.

Just where can Elon Musk's pretty childish Tesla naming trend go from here? Sexy is a complete word past itself, and it means the Hatchback's letter of the alphabet would have to outset spelling a brand new word.

That's assuming Tesla even opts for i, and doesn't follow the example of the Tesla Roadster and give the hatchback a more than ordinary name. Though 'Tesla Hatchback' doesn't quite have the same ring to it as 'Model H'.

Tesla Hatchback: Outlook

There are nonetheless a lot of unknowns with the Tesla Hatchback, though information technology seems that Tesla is going to offer that same 'Tesla experience' in a car that'south both cheaper and smaller than its current line-up. That's a expert thing, and hopefully ways the company's many competitors will follow suit and launch loftier-range electric cars for a low price.

Of course, nosotros will have to wait and run across what happens, and whether this car actually arrives in 2023. It's all well and good thinking about what could be, but for the car to be delayed like so many Tesla models before it. But we do have some high hopes, and we're optimistic that Tesla can pull this ane off without a hitch.

Tom is the Tom'due south Guide's Automotive Editor, which means he tin commonly be found knee deep in stats the latest and best electric cars, or checking out some sort of driving gadget. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the tabular array. He's usually establish trying to squeeze another behemothic Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining that Ikea won't let him purchase the stuff he really needs online.