Tesla last month boasted that its Model Y electric crossover received a range boost before it was even released—to 315 miles.
That number is official with results posted by the EPA yesterday. The Model Y Performance AWD also doesn’t disappoint relative to the already-great efficiency numbers for Tesla’s other vehicles. It earns an efficiency rating of 121 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent), which equates to about 28 kwh per 100 miles—or, the way most electric vehicle drivers would like to think about it, nearly 3.6 miles per kwh.
With the range already out, there are some other useful pieces to extract from the EPA results. Firstly, the Model Y Performance earns the same combined efficiency number as the Model 3 Performance. And it gets a better EPA city efficiency rating than the Model 3 equivalent—at an official 129 MPGe for the Model Y, and 124 MPGe for the Model 3.
On the highway, where the Model Y’s tall profile introduces more aerodynamic drag, it’s not surprising that the Model 3 does better—112 MPGe for the Model Y, versus 116 for the Model 3, in its best (smallest-wheels) form. That of course affects the difference in range between the two models (the Model 3 Performance still does better, at 322 miles).
In both cases, the Performance models are indicated as both featuring a 211-kw rear motor—so they might, as suspected, carry over the front and rear motors from the equivalent Model 3.
Tesla Model Y
The Model 3 is already the most efficient electric car on the market. So with these results the Model Y is already shaping up to be the most efficient crossover.
To compare performance, Tesla says that the Model Y Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive can accelerate to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds; that’s a slight bit slower than the Model 3 Performance’s 3.2 seconds. Top speed is 145 mph for both vehicles.
Tesla currently releases no power-output numbers for its motors in the Model Y on its site. While it might be safe to assume they're the same as for Model 3, Tesla hasn't yet confirmed that and we’ve reached out to the company for clarification. With first deliveries due by the end of March, it might not be long before we get a deeper download.
