This post was originally published on Autocar
Aero tweaks cut the Cd to 0.22, boosting range
World’s best-selling electric car receives a revamp to boost its appeal against newer rivals
The first UK examples of the facelifted Tesla Model Y will be priced from £60,990.
Touted to arrive in April, the revised crossover will be sold initially in Launch Series trim only, which features all-wheel drive and a long- range battery. It offers a 353-mile WLTP range and a 0-60mph time of 4.1sec.
Regular long-range AWD models are expected later this year at a price above the current car’s £51,990.
Performance and long- range RWD cars are in the works but an arrival date has not been set. For reference, the outgoing long-range RWD is the entry-level model and is priced from £46,990.
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 way it differs 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.
Only the Long Range All-Wheel Drive and Rear-Wheel Drive variants have been refreshed so far. They have claimed ranges of up to 447 and 368 miles per charge, respectively, according to China’s very generous Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle. This is up 73 and 37 miles on the outgoing Model Y’s numbers, although expect these to drop when tested by Europe’s WLTP.
The All-Wheel Drive variant is also now half a second faster than the car it replaces, dispatching the 0-60mph sprint in 4.3sec. In contrast, the single motor variant is, at 5.8sec, 0.3sec slower. Peak charging speed remains at 250kW.