The Tesla "Model 2", the future entry-level Tesla, could cost $19,000

We have been seeing hints of an entry-level Tesla for a long time, an electric vehicle that promises to be remarkably cheap given its class. However, the American company has been focusing its latest efforts on developing the Cybertruck and the Tesla Roadster, disregarding the alleged Model 2. Still, if the leaks are accurate, we could be just a year away from meeting the long-awaited compact from Tesla that, in theory, will cost $19,000.

And there are already confirmations, beyond the rumors, about the production of the entry-level Tesla. This model will be built entirely in China, a country where the electric giant has a mega-factory ready to manufacture what will likely become one of the best-selling electric cars in the world.

It was Tom Zhu, president of Tesla China, who confirmed that the Model 2, as it is known, will be manufactured there. Specifically, production will take place at the Shanghai plant. Furthermore, its arrival is expected in 2022, much earlier than anticipated, since the design process has already finished and the Chinese factory’s capacity, which is key to speeding up its launch, is in place.

It is true that no details are yet known about its design or its mechanical layout. Even so, the latest design language from Tesla is expected, but adapted to a compact car, with more modest technology than its larger siblings in order to keep the price down, and a range of powertrain options that could span between 150 and 300 CV.

Range will also vary depending on the option chosen, but estimates point to around 300 kilometers in the entry-level versions and somewhat over 500 in the top-of-the-range ones. Either way, given the projected arrival dates, we could learn more about the alleged Tesla Model 2 sometime this year, 2021.

With all this in play, rumors suggest the electric compact will be officially unveiled at the Guangzhou Auto Show. This would take place in November of this same year and, although it is still unclear whether the health situation will allow in-person attendance, Tesla would nonetheless be prepared to put the Tesla Model 2 on the table, the electric compact that aims to revolutionize the segment it will compete in, where competition is currently limited.