If, like me, you can’t afford a full-sized Tesla because your life has been a series of bad investments (one day my early Fyre Festival backing will pay off), then Radio Flyer’s newest product might be just the thing for you. It’s a scaled-down Model Y, designed for use by kids aged 18 months to four years old — but I can play pretend and yell “vroooommm” just as well, if not better, than they can.
Dubbed “My First Model Y,” this is a collaborative effort between the Tesla Design Studio and Radio Flyer’s product team. It’s a ride-on version, which is not true of the standard Model Y, and it includes a honking horn, as well as black induction wheels (an upgrade option on the real car) and a functional steering wheel, with a price point of $99. There’s only one trim level.
Unlike the first collaboration between Radio Flyer and Tesla, the Tesla Model S for Kids, this one doesn’t have a built-in battery — it requires kid power to function. That means a lot more affordability, and makes it suitable for much younger kids.
I might pick up one of these instead of just continuing to scrawl “Tesla” in block letters on the rear window of my 1998 Toyota Camry in grease pencil.