Will there be a Tesla Model A? Here's everything we know about the potential new smallest and cheapest electric car in the US brand's line-up...
The Tesla Model A could be the smallest and cheapest electric car in the US brand’s line-up.
We say ‘could’ because there’s been no official confirmation from Tesla about the existence of a Model A. However, there has been plenty of speculation that a more compact car is being worked on behind the scenes, fuelled by comments by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Indeed, back in 2018, Musk tweeted: “We’re working on a new Tesla mini-car that can squeeze in an adult”.
Although typically vague, that suggests a Smart Fortwo or Citroën Ami-sized urban runaround could in the making. The Fortwo is well priced by electric car standards but suffers from a bumpy ride and a poor range between charges. Meanwhile, the even smaller Ami is incredibly cheap by new car standards, but has a top speed of just 28mph.
Or, alternatively, as our rendering above shows, the Tesla Model A could be a slightly larger car – possibly a more premium alternative to the Peugeot e-208 or Renault Zoe.
As it stands, the smallest and cheapest car Tesla makes is the Tesla Model 3. That’s a 4.7-metre-long saloon that starts at around £50,000.
Above that sits the closely related Tesla Model Y, which in turn sits below the enormous (and hugely expensive) Tesla Model S saloon and Tesla Model X SUV.
It’s clear, then, that there’s a gaping hole in Tesla’s model range for a smaller and cheaper electric car.
If the Tesla Model A does become a reality, it’s likely to be at least three years away from production. That’s because US brand has already confirmed that it’s working on a ludicrously fast electric sports car called the Tesla Roadster, plus an electric pick-up truck called the Tesla Cybertruck. Both of these cars have been beset by delays and are currently slated for launches in 2023.
We’ll let you know as soon as we have more information about the Tesla Model A.
Keyword: Tesla Model A electric car – what we know so far