Tesla this week quietly introduced a cheaper, rear-wheel drive variant of the popular Model Y SUV. It starts at $43,990 with a 260-mile range, a similar price-to-range ratio as the Model 3 sedan ($40,240, 272-mile range) but with a larger cabin.

(Credit: Tesla)

Combined with the $7,500 federal tax credit, issued during annual taxes for qualified buyers, that brings the price down to $36,490. In other words, it's a steal, though without all-wheel drive capabilities it's primarily a tech-filled suburban cruiser for errands and commuting.

It's also made by the company run by the man who posted this on Twitter this week:

Tweet may have been deleted

Amid unflattering headlines following his Twitter takeover and its X rebrand, Musk has ramped up calls for "citizen journalism" (aka posts on his platform) to overthrow the "mainstream media." With a 40-plus-year history, PCMag likely qualifies as the latter, and we've covered Musk's various businesses—Starlink, xAI, Neuralink—for at least a decade.

Tweet may have been deleted

This week, his attacks got a little more personal around the office when he tweeted: "How does Mashable continue to exist?" in reponse to an article from our sister publication about features that may convince Twitter users to jump ship for Meta's Threads.

In 'Musk vs. The Press' The Public Loses

This begs the question: Do we report on a tech CEO with so much contempt for the free press? For now, the answer is yes. Electric vehicles are a fast-growing category, and we want our readers to be informed about significant new offerings like this RWD Model Y. Plus, a coverage blackout would mean less information about more serious issues like Autopilot safety concerns.

Even prior to the Twitter takeover, Musk had a chilly relationship with reporters. Tesla stopped communicating with the press several years ago, and SpaceX is similarly non-communicative. And let's not forget the "poop emoji auto-reply" situation at Twitter.

If car buyers are investing tens of thousands of dollars in a new EV, though, they need to know what they're getting. According to Edmunds, for example, its tests "have never shown that Teslas can meet their range estimates." Meanwhile, Tesla is now using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in its base models. They're cheaper and have a lower energy density. But they're also less likely to achieve the EPA-mile range consistently, especially in cold weather, prompting many profitability-focused automakers to keep quiet about them.

Mercurial Man, Mercurial Business

Citizen journalist Musk livestreams himself from the US-Mexico border this week. (Credit: John Moore/Staff/Getty Images)

To be fair, Tesla kicked off a global EV revolution, and offers reliable, much beloved vehicles. But how much credit should Musk get for that personally? His off-the-cuff remarks have landed him in hot water with regulators and he's not exactly a beloved boss.

On the consumer front, Musk has overseen a steady stream of unexpected price changes, bucking the legacy trend of static pricing for the model year. Earlier this month, the brand debuted a new Model Y, Electrek reports, only to pull it a few weeks later. Customers who leap for new prices and trims may find themselves scorned as cheaper ones debut just weeks later.

The billionaire's increasingly offensive political commentary may also deter some buyers; we spoke to one who opted for a Volvo EX30 over a Tesla.

If coverage of Musk and his companies are limited to sycophant "citizen journalist" X users, he and his fellow billionaires can, in theory, shape coverage and public perception to their liking. As the Twitter Files fallout demonstrates, however, that's easier said than done.