Aerodynamic tweaks cut the drag coefficient to 0.22Cd, boosting range
Best-selling electric SUV has been given a futuristic new look and more miles per charge
The full range of trims for the facelifted Tesla Model Y has gone on sale in the UK, dropping the electric SUV’s starting price down to £44,990.
That nets you an entry-level Rear-Wheel Drive model with 311 miles of range and a single 275bhp motor allowing it to complete the 0-60mph dash in 5.6sec.
At £48,990, the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive yields 387 miles between charges and has the motor boosted to 304bhp, cutting its sprint time to 5.4sec.
The quickest variant, the Long Range All-Wheel Drive, gets an extra motor on its front axle that adds another 66bhp and further slashes its 0-60mph time to 4.8sec. It does, however, sacrifice 23 miles of range compared with the equivalent RWD car.
Deliveries of the new variants are set to begin in June, two months after the £60,990 Launch Series model.
The Launch Series is based on the Long Range All-Wheel Drive and brings an exclusive Acceleration Boost mode that allows it to hit 60mph from a standstill in 4.1sec.
It also gets a synthetic suede interior as well as Launch Series badging and puddle lights.
There are no initial plans for a seven-seat version to return, despite this derivative having sold well in the UK previously.
Codenamed Project Juniper, the facelifted Model Y arrives as Tesla faces intense competition in all global markets.
Broadly, the upgrades match those made to the Tesla Model 3 last year and are focused around improving the Model Y’s efficiency, refinement and quality.
One key difference from the Model 3 is that the indicator controls have moved back to a conventional stalk rather than, as with the facelifted Model 3, being located on the steering wheel.
The headline change for the world’s best-selling electric car is its freshly redesigned exterior, differentiated from the current car by wraparound light bars at the front and rear and subtly reshaped bumpers.
The SUV’s immense commercial success makes it Tesla’s most important asset and the American EV maker will look to leverage it in an attempt to move out of a prolonged dip in sales.
Because the car had not been substantially updated in almost five years, it no longer offered such an obvious usability and performance advantage over its rivals.
At launch the Model Y’s maximum 331-mile range was seen as a headline attribute, but was eventually matched by cheaper rivals. Last year’s new Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive variant, with 373 miles of range, slightly plugged that gap but was still not enough to beat the Peugeot e-3008’s 434 miles.
Tesla says the new look has been conceived to “maximise efficiency, using every kilowatt-hour more effectively” and claims the new suspension, wheels and tyres will help in this endeavour.
The car’s drag coefficient (Cd) is said to have been reduced from 0.23 to 0.22, keeping it as one of the market’s slipperiest cars. This should boost range and reduce wind noise.
The revised Model Y is also 47mm longer than the current car, at 4797mm, but a scant 1mm narrower, at 1624mm wide.
Inside, the crossover follows its saloon sibling in being treated to a subtle refresh of its materials and technology, rather than a wide-reaching overhaul.
There is now a touchscreen in the rear, for example, and the back seats fold electrically. The fronts are now ventilated too and can be upholstered in new fabrics that “make you relax as if you are floating in space”, according to Tesla.
All main controls are hosted in the dash-mounted 15.4in touchscreen, which runs on updated software that is said to improve response and quality.
Source: Autocar
