Over the weekend, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a completely new 2022 Tesla Model Y AWD variant to their fuel efficiency listings.
According to Tesla hacker GreenTheOnly, Tesla reveals in update 2022.8.2 that there will be a Texas-made Model Y SR+.
The Standard Range Plus variant of the Model Y will likely be the first car configuration out of the new Giga Texas factory.
Further analyzing 2022.8.2:
— green (@greentheonly) March 16, 2022
TX-made (2022Q1 dated) ModelY SR+ is added so I guess that would be the first car configuration out of that place pretty soon.
Several new battery types added too (I don't dig in ECUs so I don't know what exactly they are)
Giga Texas First Model Y Configuration
Tesla’s new Austin, Texas factory is an important milestone that will continue to allow Tesla to expand their production capacity across all current models of cars and the upcoming Cybertruck, Roadster, and Semi.
There have been some speculations that the first Tesla from the new factory will use the new 4680 cells with a structural battery pack, but the efficiency reported doesn’t seem large enough to be the new battery cells.
Tesla has been using iron-based LFP batteries in their SR+ vehicles out of several factories. LFP batteries are cheaper to produce, but they also have a lower energy density per pound. However, LFP have some advantages as well. They're more environmentally friendly and can also be charged to 100% without any long-term effects.
There are various possible battery changes that Tesla may be making over the next few years at Giga Texas and other factories, but signs appear to indicate that Giga Texas will start with 2170 cell LFP batteries. Although it's possible that these SR+ cars will use the new 4680 structural battery cells since Tesla has had production constraints on those new cells and is looking to spread them out into more vehicles.
Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y was initially released in 2019 from the Fremont factory in California, at a base price starting at $54,190. Since the mid-size SUV was launched, there has only been a Long Range and Performance model available. With Tesla focusing on expanding the configuration options to their most popular vehicle, it will be another step up against other car manufacturers.
To meet the growing demand for electric vehicles, the Texas factory is a necessary step in maximizing production efficiency. It is the first factory outside of California, and it will produce the first cars to be built as Standard Range Plus Model Ys. We anticipate that the new Tesla Giga factory will house all new configurations while the California factory transitions to new batteries and vehicles.
