According to new filings with the EPA and several recent leaks, Tesla is getting ready to launch a new but “worse” version of the Model Y. The company could call it the Model Y Standard Range Plus, and it’s actually a good thing.

It’s a smart move because this will become the most affordable Model Y sold by Tesla yet an upgrade from the discontinued Standard Range. In addition, this model will offer an all-wheel-drive configuration and deliver more range.

For those unaware, the original Model Y came in three models, and the cheapest of the bunch packed an RWD system and only got around 240-miles on a charge. Unfortunately, it wasn’t up to Elon Musk’s standards, so the company discontinued it. Since then, the Model Y has seen several substantial price hikes and is vastly more expensive than this time last year.

As of today, Tesla offers the electric SUV in these two configurations:

• Model Y Long Range (AWD) getting 330-miles per charge, starting at $62,990
• Model Y Performance getting 303-miles per charge, starting at $67,990

Recently, a popular Tesla hacker dug through the latest software update v2022.8.2 and spotted several references to a Texas-built Model Y (SR+), which matches reports from last week.

If true, Tesla’s Model Y Standard Range+ will come equipped with AWD and a somewhat decent 279-miles of range per charge using Tesla’s new 4680-type cylindrical battery cells. Coming in below the current offerings but better than the original across the board.

This sounds like a great compromise by Tesla. Instead of another price hike, it’ll give owners a potentially more affordable option without changing manufacturing to an RWD version. And while 50 fewer miles per charge is a big deal, that should be plenty for some buyers that don’t want to pay for the Long Range model.

When the Model Y initially hit the streets in early 2020, the base Standard Range package was only $47,000, and now the cheapest option is $63k. Obviously, that puts it into another ballpark completely. And while we can guarantee the upcoming Model Y SR+ will be expensive, likely around $58,990, that’s still more affordable than what’s available today.

via InsideEvs