Tesla Inc. last week finally released new, more affordable electric vehicles designed to hook new customers and help the company shed its reputation for catering to a wealthier demographic. Whether it will pay off, though, is unclear, given the tradeoffs consumers will be asked to make.

The “standard” Model Y starts at $39,990, about $5,000 less than the “premium” electric SUV that was formerly the entry-level model. Meanwhile, the “standard” Model 3 comes in at $36,990, versus the $42,490 “premium” electric compact. Although neither of the new models is as cheap as some investors had once anticipated, shaving a few thousand dollars off some of the world’s best-selling cars can be a big deal.