Tesla’s Budget-Friendly Redwood Compact Crossover Set to Debut in 2022

Multiple new vehicles on fresh architecture.

According to insiders, the much-anticipated arrival of an affordable Tesla electric car will finally materialize in the middle of next year. Multiple sources who spoke to Reuters disclosed that the company’s mass market EV, codenamed “Redwood,” is set to begin production in June 2025, in the form of a compact crossover. These sources also revealed that Tesla had already reached out to suppliers in 2020 to request quotations for the new vehicle and is aiming to manufacture 10,000 units per week.

Despite the exciting prospects, a source pointed out that Tesla has a history of being “excessively optimistic” when it comes to new product releases. The source also mentioned that it may not be until 2026 that mass production truly begins. However, there are indications that this new electric vehicle could still make a strong impression in other aspects.

According to two separate sources, Tesla has recently dismantled a Honda Civic in order to gain insight on how to produce more cost-effective vehicles without sacrificing quality. However, this extensive research is not solely focused on one particular model. In fact, Tesla has already confirmed that they have plans for the development of at least two new vehicles, which will be built on their next-generation “NV9X” architecture. Although this platform was announced over a year ago, specific details have yet to be publicly disclosed. As stated in Walter Isaacson’s biography of CEO Elon Musk, this new platform will be able to support a more affordable Tesla model for the general public, as well as a budget-friendly robotaxi. While these projects have been promised for quite some time, the fact that Tesla is now seeking quotes from suppliers suggests that significant progress has been made.

A more affordable Tesla model, below the price of the Model 3, would certainly be a cause for celebration. However, we remain skeptical until we witness a significant increase in the number of development vehicles being tested on public roads. While there were reports of a potential prototype spotted in China last year, it was disguised with a Mazda exterior and has yet to be officially linked to a budget-friendly Tesla.

Tesla continues to encounter obstacles in their efforts to increase production of the Cybertruck and Semi models, as well as enhance their semi-autonomous driving capabilities. Additionally, they are working on creating a Roadster with a remarkable acceleration time of under 2 seconds and perfecting the upcoming Model 3 Performance.These endeavors require significant resources and Tesla has struggled in the past to meet their promised timelines and pricing objectives.

In the end, although we are pleased to have a timeline for the anticipated $25,000 Tesla’s production, we anticipate it will commence later than expected and come with a higher price tag.