Tesla plans new lower-mileage Model Y vehicles ahead of Giga Texas launch

Tesla plans to launch new Model Ys with a lower mileage range than current Model Y vehicles. The announcement comes just under a month before the company begins releasing its first Austin-made Model Ys in time for the southeast Austin Giga Texas plant grand opening next month.

This comes as Giga Texas prepares for its grand opening next month and the upcoming release of Austin-made Model Y’s.

A new filing with the Environmental Protection Agency revealed this version of the EV, which will go for 279-miles on a full charge. This is down 51 miles of the long-range Model Y.

There’s uncertainty whether this is the Model Y that will be coming out of the gigafactory in Berlin or Giga Texas. As Electrek reports, It’ll become clearer when deliveries start from the southeast Travis County factory, which is expected around the time of the site’s April opening.

Last year, Tesla offered a standard range Model Y that was discontinued after CEO Elon Musk said he wasn’t satisfied with the range.

Aside from the potential for a lower range, Giga Texas cars will have a couple of differences from other Model Y’s that drivers may not notice, including 4680 cells and a structural battery pack.