Tesla's Two Latest 'Murah' Cars Are Not As Cheap As Imagined, The Market Reacts Negatively

JAKARTA - Tesla is back in the spotlight after just introducing two of its newest models, the Model Y and the 'Standard' version of the Model 3. These two electric cars are claimed to be more affordable variants, but have drawn criticism because the price difference is considered too thin from the premium model.

The Y Standard model is priced at US$39,990 or around Rp664 million, while the Model 3 Standard is sold at US$36,990 or around Rp614 million. This price is only cheaper at around US$5,000 from a higher variant, so it does not meet public expectations who are looking forward to mass electric cars at a really affordable price.

Meet Model Y Standard & Model 3 Standard – our most affordable vehicles

Ultra-low cost of ownership, engineered for safety & comes with the best Tesla features you love

– 321 mi of range– Extreme efficiency that takes you farther + saves you $$– Minimal maintenance– Can… pic.twitter.com/2cMQ5NW6Yf

— Tesla (@Tesla) October 7, 2025

Meet Model Y Standard & Model 3 Standard our most affordable vehicles

Ultra-low cost of ownership, engineering for safety & come with the best Tesla features you love

321 mi of range Extreme efficiency that takes you mostly + saves you $$ Minimum maintenance Can... pic.twitter.com/2cMQ5NW6Yf

The market reaction was immediately felt. After the announcement, Tesla shares fell by about 4 percent. This step is considered not brave enough in the midst of the increasingly aggressive global competitive pressure in the cheap electric vehicle segment. Even when its release on social media X, netizens also blasphemed a lot about the price.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, who has been known to support Tesla, has not covered up his disappointment.

"We hope this model becomes a big price breakthrough for Tesla. Unfortunately, the difference with the premium version is too small to be called a breakthrough," he said, quoted by Reuters, Wednesday, October 8.

Ives assessed that the launch occurred at a sensitive time, as global sales of Tesla slowed down and pressure from European and Chinese manufacturers was increasing. He added that the loss of an electric car tax incentive worth US$7,500 per unit in the United States since late September made Tesla's effective price go up, not down.

Similarly, Futurum Equities analyst Shay Bolor also criticized the strategy taken by Elon Musk. He assessed that Tesla missed a great opportunity to launch an electric car in the range of 25,000 US dollars as promised.

"This is not a product innovation, just a price game. It's hard to imagine this variant opening up a large number of new markets," he said.

Features Minimized

Even though it's cheaper, the Standard version of Model Y and Model 3 still has a cruising range of up to 321 miles or about 516 kilometers. However, his performance was a little sacrificed, including slower acceleration and a number of features removed.

This variant is not equipped with an Autosteer or Tesla auto steering assistance system, a rear touch screen for passengers, and a lightbar LED lightbar light on the Model Y. The interior is also simpler, using a cloth seat with the vegan skin option only on the Model 3. Even the rearview mirror is now manual, not electric like the above version.

Tesla has opened orders since October 7, with its inaugural shipment scheduled between December 2025 and January 2026 in several areas. Cars at more affordable prices are part of Tesla's strategy to achieve an ambitious target of selling 20 million vehicles in the next decade.

This target is also related to the discussion of a $1 trillion compensation package for Elon Musk by the company's board of directors. However, Tesla's challenges are getting tougher as Chinese manufacturers like BYD continue to advance with lower valuable models, while the European market is starting to be skeptical of Musk, including because of its controversial political views.