Secret Tesla prototype seen in Austin! This is the car Musk didn't want to show

Tesla was supposed to offer customers a revolution – a new cheap electric car for 25 thousand dollars, which was meant to democratize electromobility. Instead, it arrived on a Texas highway with a prototype that looks like a Model Y after a diet. And not a very successful one.

Model 2 canceled, a lightened Model Y remains

Years ago, Elon Musk promised an electric car for 25,000 dollars with an entirely new platform. It was supposed to be the so-called Model 2, a car inspired by the Cybertruck, built from the ground up as an affordable machine. But Musk canceled the plans – he preferred to bet on Cybercab, a robotaxi without a steering wheel, which is supposed to go into production next year.

@SawyerMerritt spotted an uncovered cheaper Model Y variant driving near Giga Texas pic.twitter.com/Fy6devXree

— Ryan Mable (@RyanMable) October 2, 2025

Instead of a new model, Tesla took the existing Model Y and removed a relatively large number of features from it. The prototype was recently photographed by engineer Ryan Mable near the Gigafactory in Austin, Texas. And when you look at the photos, you’ll understand why Tesla fans are not cheering.

What all disappeared

Tesla removed the continuous light bar at the front and rear, which it introduced with the Model Y refresh. Instead, there are separate narrow lights, with a black strip at the rear. The “TESLA” inscription on the rear is also missing. The wheels have also shrunk from 19 to 18 inches.

Inside, the panoramic glass roof, ambient lighting, 8-inch display for rear passengers, simplified seat controls, and ventilation are gone. Electrically folding mirrors? Gone. Adjustable suspension? Apparently not either.

And then there’s a visible problem: the trunk lid overhangs the plastic bumper above the license plate. The gap between the panels is not entirely precise, which is reminiscent of Tesla’s old days when customers complained about poor assembly quality. While the prototype is just a prototype, this flaw doesn’t look good.

The price won’t be that much lower…

Tesla has not officially confirmed the price, but leaks suggest a starting amount of 39,999 dollars (about 826,000 CZK without VAT). The standard Model Y today starts at 1,099,900 CZK.

The situation is complicated by the cancellation of the 7,500 dollar federal tax credit for electric vehicles in the USA. Tesla recorded record sales last year as customers tried to make their purchases before the program ended. Now that the credit is gone, electric vehicle prices have effectively increased.

Battery and autopilot – where Tesla will save even more

The most expensive component of an electric car is the battery. For cheaper models, Tesla uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, mostly from Chinese manufacturers. However, it recently started producing its own LFP batteries at its Nevada factory, so the cheaper Model Y will likely get these.

The question remains about autopilot and Full Self-Driving. The Model Y currently has eight cameras and a computing unit that powers the assistance systems. If Tesla starts removing sensors or cameras, will the autopilot still function? And what if it removes the entire FSD system to save thousands more dollars? That would go against Musk’s vision of fully autonomous vehicles.

Tesla needs a cheaper model to survive a few “tough quarters,” as Musk warned after the tax credit cancellation. But this cheaper Model Y is not a revolution – it’s a compromise that offers customers less for a little less money. And when you look at that ill-fitting trunk lid, you have to wonder if it’s a compromise worth making.

What do you think of the cheaper Tesla Model Y?

Source: The Verge, Notebookcheck