Entry-level SUV forgoes light bars, panoramic roof and more to bring the price down
Tesla has added a bigger battery Long Range version to its new stripped-back entry level Model Y – while also removing the Standard nameplate which it used when it first arrived here at the end of last year.
The new Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive model starts at £44,990, £3000 more than the smaller battery car, but crucially it’s some £4000 cheaper than the previous Rear-Wheel Drive model it replaces. Premium spec cars start from £48,990.
This new price closely aligns the German-built American EV with European rivals such as the Skoda Enyaq and Audi Q4 e-tron.
Underneath, the new Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive offers 383 miles of range – which is four miles fewer than its predecessor, while using the same battery pack. (Tesla doesn’t publicise its pack sizes, but it is understood to be 82kWh).
For reference, the standard Rear-Wheel Drive offers 314 miles of range, up three miles on the car it replaced, which Tesla attributed to its lighter weight.
To hit its new price point, changes made to the entry level Model Ys include the removal of the light bars at the front and rear for a simpler split-light design. It also forgoes a panoramic roof and other versions’ frequency-selective dampers are swapped for a passive set-up.
Inside, the faux leather offered on other variants is swapped for cloth, and the centre console has been downsized.
The sound system has seven speakers rather than the nine of other variants and there is no touchscreen for rear passengers. The so-called ‘Bioweapon defence mode’ for the cabin air filtration system is omitted and the steering wheel position has to be adjusted manually rather than electrically.
A physical key is also omitted, requiring owners to use the Tesla smartphone app to gain access.
Whereas the entry model is fitted with 18in wheels in other markets, such as in the US (where it retains the Standard name), it gets the ‘Crossflow’ 19s in the UK to help boost residual values.
Tesla has also given the entry level Model 3 the same stripped-back treatment. A Long Range version of that car is expected to be unveiled soon
