Image: @JoeTegtmeyer
Tesla has officially begun production of the new entry-level Model Y Standard at Gigafactory Texas, marking another key milestone in the automaker’s expanding U.S. lineup.
The news comes from longtime Giga Texas watcher Joe Tegtmeyer (@JoeTegtmeyer), who confirmed on X that “Model Y Standard production is well underway at Giga Texas,” adding that the outbound lot was already filled with numerous freshly built Model Y Standard units, alongside several Premium variants and Cybertrucks.
The start of Model Y Standard production in Texas signals that customer deliveries could be just around the corner. Tesla launched the new base Model Y in the U.S. last week alongside the cheaper Model 3 Standard, both designed to offer more affordable entry points into the Tesla ecosystem. Days later, the automaker expanded availability to Europe, where production of the cheaper Model Y will take place at Gigafactory Berlin, with deliveries slated to begin in November.
Image: Tesla
The Model Y Standard offers up to 321 miles of EPA-rated range, a top speed of 125 mph, and can sprint from 0–60 mph in 6.8 seconds. While it’s the lowest-priced Model Y currently available, Tesla says it still meets the company’s high standards for safety, efficiency, and performance, and comes equipped with the automaker’s latest Hardware 4 (HW4) suite for Full Self-Driving (Supervised).
To bring costs down, Tesla made a few design changes. The Model Y Standard swaps out the panoramic glass roof on pricier trims for a fabric headliner, uses manually adjustable steering and second-row seats, and does not include ventilated or heated rear seats or a rear passenger touchscreen. Tesla’s Lars Moravy has said these changes help simplify production while keeping the vehicle accessible to more buyers.
With production now ramping up in Texas, the new Model Y Standard is expected to play a significant role in Tesla’s push to regain EV market share amid tightening competition and the recent expiration of the U.S. federal EV tax credit.
