Tesla is possibly reigniting one of the most discussed projects, the long-awaited electric car of less than $25,000. Sources close to the Tesla headquarters claim that the company is once again working on its NV91 and NV93, which are thought to be compact electric vehicles that will be placed beneath the Model Y in the Tesla line.
If true, this will mark a tremendous strategic move on the part of Tesla and could mark a new dawn of electric mobility for the mass market.
The idea of an affordable Tesla was initially popularized in 2020 when Elon Musk, in Tesla’s Battery Day presentation, offered his vision of a small, third-generation electric vehicle priced at approximately $25,000. The intention was to ensure that EVs reach a much wider audience due to the cost-effective production and battery technology breakthrough.
In 2022 and 2023, however, Tesla reportedly shelved or postponed the project to concentrate on more profitable projects such as the Cybertruck and Model Y, and its much-anticipated Robotaxi platform. Musk had even alluded to the fact that the next-generation platform by Tesla would initially cater to the autonomous taxi market, with the affordable consumer version of EV being unclear.
According to the new reports, the priorities of Tesla may change once again, by returning to a more affordable and high-volume production.
The NV91 and NV93 Projects: What We Know
NV91 and NV93 project codenames are said to be two closely related compact EV platforms that are in development. Concrete information is scarce, but it is clear that these cars are smaller than the Model Y, and they may be the same size as a Volkswagen ID.3 or Hyundai Kona Electric.
NV91 is assumed to be the entry-level consumer model – a small hatchback or crossover that targets first-time EV customers.
NV93 will be a more advanced or performance-oriented model, perhaps with some significant parts of design and drivetrain in common with the NV91.
The two vehicles should be based on the next-generation platform of Tesla, which is to be faster and allow Tesla to reduce production costs and more automation of its gigafactories.
Industry analysts have thought that the new compact Teslas will be manufactured under the Gigafactory in Mexico, which is currently being planned to accommodate the next-generation production process at Tesla. It is anticipated that the facility will adopt the so-called unboxed production process, initially proposed by Elon Musk in 2023, according to which sub-sections of the vehicles are assembled simultaneously before the final assembly, which saves cost and time significantly.
With optimization of production and 4680 battery cell usage, Tesla might have a chance to attain the elusive price of $25,000 without hurting the range or performance.
With a successful result, this may turn out to be a game-changer not only to Tesla but also to the entire electric vehicle industry, forcing other car manufacturers to launch cheap EVs to the market at a faster rate.
