Tesla Model 2 rendered

It’s very much a case of when – not if – an affordable Tesla small car silently begins its global rollout and, with an influx of cheaper Chinese EV on the way, it’s not just the launch timing of the new EV that will be crucial to its success, but also its body style.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk hasn’t officially confirmed either the new model’s name, which will be built in China and is widely referred to as the Model 2, nor whether the small vehicle will be a hatchback or something else – potentially a liftback like this latest render from KDesign.

Taking a bit of inspiration from the new Genesis G60 EV’s body shape and blending it with Tesla’s signature smiley ‘face’, this latest Tesla Model 2 creation would harmonise with the electric car-maker’s design ethos of doing things a little bit differently.

The rear-end design features a space-savvy liftback design that would afford the vehicle reasonable cargo room, while the general design of the Tesla Model 2’s rump is divergent enough to please rusted-on Teslarati who adore the brand’s unorthodox aesthetic direction.

In terms of size, the new Tesla Model 2 is expected to possess similar dimensions to the most popular small cars out there, such as the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3, and if Tesla sticks to its guns, pricing won’t be too different from these rivals either, with a $US25,000 target previously promised by Musk.

That works out to just under $A36,000, which is about $30K less than Tesla’s most affordable current offering, the Model 3 sedan (from $65,500), and would make it Australia’s cheapest EV right now.

Tesla’s smallest model yet was originally expected to be on sale in 2024, but there’s a growing likelihood it may not be available until 2025 following its reveal next year.

That’s because Tesla already has an extensive ‘to-do’ list that includes launching the long-overdue Cybertruck pick-up, which is designed to muscle in on Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado territory.

With significant Tesla Model 3 and Model Y revamps coming up, including new (and smaller) platform architectures, the brand has plenty of work ahead of it.

The Tesla Model 2 will likely get a smaller battery pack than current models and therefore a lower cruising range – potentially dipping to 350km – in its bid to lower cost, but it could retain several premium features from its bigger siblings such as a large 15-inch screen, a glass roof and fancy pop-out door handles.

One thing is for certain though – the cabin will put a new spin on the term ‘minimalist’.

Despite a dip in its share price recently, Tesla’s market cap is still significantly greater than its US-based rivals such as Ford and GM.

In Australia, Tesla has been kicking goals with the Model 3, which outsold the evergreen Toyota Camry to become the nation’s most popular mid-size sedan for the first time.

Could the new Model 2 or whatever Tesla calls its first small car one day outsell the Toyota Corolla? Watch this space.