Tesla teases Oct 7 reveal as focus shifts to cheaper EVs

Tesla posted a pair of nine‑second clips on X – one close‑up of a spinning wheel/turbine, another of headlights cutting through the dark – and stamped them with 10/7. The ambiguity worked: the stock ticked about 2% higher in early trading as the market penciled in a Tuesday product moment.

The obvious question is price point. Tesla has trailed an affordable Model Y for the U.S., saying in June it had made “first builds” and would start selling in Q4 with a slower‑than‑planned ramp. People familiar told reporters the stripped‑down version targets roughly 20% lower production cost than the refreshed Model Y and could scale toward ~250,000 U.S. units by 2026. Tesla hasn’t confirmed trims or specs for Tuesday but that is what many will be listening for.

The teaser lands after a record quarter for deliveries through September, a push helped by buyers pulling forward purchases before the $7,500 U.S. EV credit expired on Sept. 30. Without that nudge, analysts expect demand to soften into year‑end unless a cheaper model arrives to widen the funnel.

Competition keeps intensifying. In China and parts of Europe, local makers are pressing hard on price and features; BYD in particular has outpaced Tesla in several markets outside the U.S. Any update that improves Tesla’s value‑for‑money story, or lowers the cost to build, helps shore up its position.