Tesla Model Y | Test Drive

31 January 2022 Redazione News, Tested

TESLA MODEL Y

Words Marco Mancino / Photos Richard Montagner

S3XY. I know, said like that and at the beginning of the article it almost makes you think you are reading the wrong magazine, but with a closer look you will notice that it is actually the current range offered by the Tesla brand. Once again Elon Musk has left nothing to chance and by exploiting the alphanumeric characters of his models he has made clear that his could be the direction in which to turn our look in terms of 100% electric cars, despite the fact that the segment has deeply changed compared to 2012, year in which the Model S has been launched, the first car of the company, if we do not take into consideration the previous Roadster parenthesis.

To summarize the whole thing in an extreme way, the newborn Model Y is positioned halfway between the Model 3 and the Model X, not only in terms of price, but above all in terms of size and intended use. Let’s proceed in order: 4.7 meters in length, 1.9 in width and 1.6 in height. These are the main features that make the Y the perfect deal for those who need space on board and at the same time maintain a size that proves to be a trump card in the city, a situation in which an electric car is most at ease. The Model Y is therefore a centrifuged Model X reduced by a few centimeters and a few kilograms, but which still maintains that SUV look that is so popular and that makes it harmonious from any angle you look at it, aspect that with the Model 3 is not fully centered, at least as its front view concerns.

Unlike the Model X, we have two seats less, which however could soon give space to a variant with a total of 7 seats, but above all a traditional mechanism for the rear doors. This means further savings in weight and money, which being a model intended for a wider clientele than usual is not a negligible detail. If you are wondering, know that the on board space is more than satisfactory, both thanks to the renowned absence of the transmission tunnel, which is to the advantage of the rear occupants and allows space for storage compartments almost everywhere, both for the presence of a huge glass roof that makes the cabin brighter. The seating position is what you expect from a compact SUV and therefore slightly raised than that of the Model 3, so increasing visibility when maneuvering, while you will resort to the help of the numerous cameras scattered in every corner of the car only to overcome the reduced dimensions of the rear window and to optimally manage the Sentinel safety system and the autopilot, on this model coming with the Advanced spec and costing € 3,800.

In addition to the Performance variant, Tesla offers the Long Range – the one of our test here – equipped with 2 electric motors, each of which is responsible for supplying energy to the respective axle thanks to 75 kWh lithium-ion batteries and a total power of 351 horses. As usual, both the peak power and the maximum torque of 530 Nm are delivered immediately and without any type of filter, guaranteeing the typical lightning bolt acceleration that makes the Model Y incredibly fast from one point to another on the map. Since we’re dealing with maps, the constantly connected infotainment system is at your fingertips thanks to the huge 15″ display positioned horizontally in the center of the dashboard. The few, actually no more than a couple of, physical buttons are those intended for driving seat adjustments, however, to be recalled from the appropriate menu browsing through the screen. Like the Model 3, the key is replaced by a card which becomes superfluous as soon as you connect the car to your smartphone. Then you can start and move it by remote, check the battery charge status and pre-climate the cockpit.

Not being the first Tesla I drive, the time it takes to get used to it has been reduced, but if it is the first time you rest your back on one of Musk’s cars, know that in a few hours it will be like knowing it by a long time. The thing is that you will never stop discovering new stuff, both among the aspects useful for navigation (where the system calculates distances and suggests the charging stations along the ideal route), mileage management and driving aids, and for superfluous ones like arcade games, fart mode or the ability to browse the internet and even watch a movie in streaming. The Model Y also offers interesting numbers in terms of load capacity, with a rear compartment equipped with a double floor to accommodate the charging cables and the possibility to take advantage of the space obtained at the front, because obviously there is no traditional engine. Tesla declares a total cargo volume of 2,158 liters. Once you have made sure you have the batteries charged, a process which, using the special Supercharger V3 points, scores astounding values ​​like 1,600 km in just one hour, there is nothing left to do but drive.

Driving, that’s right. An action that can mean two very different things, such as a simple movement for a specific need, or a way to have fun and take a road that enhances the perfect balance of a car that, if necessary, knows how to exploit a power and a reactivity not exclusively aiming at a frantic race for numbers. Having ascertained that a Tesla can be driven (hard) even just using the right pedal and therefore taking advantage of the regenerative braking, instead of pressing on the brake itself, the Model Y turns out to be agile between the curves, playing on dimensions that despite the 2 tons of weight never reveal any embarrassment, not even in the most sudden direction changes. It goes without saying that it doesn’t all come down to attacking a winding road, much less a race track, but having the awareness of dynamic qualities not too far from the extraordinary Model 3 (which has a slightly lower weight on its side), makes this model practical due to the extra space on board and incredibly engaging in sporty driving.

The kilometers of range declared with 100% charged batteries are about 507, which is a value that, like petrol and diesel engines, varies depending on how much power you ask out of its two electric motors. In fact, where the use of air conditioning and multimedia system is almost entirely compensated in braking and deceleration, the distance you can crunch without refill is updated in real time according to the driving style of the driver, who in any case has enough range at hand to allow travel and plan quick charging stops along those longer routes that are usually not part of the working week. Tesla has been in fact the first brand to offer electric models that are truly usable in the real world and after 10 years it has refined its skills in order to better face a competition that in the meantime seems to have finally managed (ok, not everyone) to equal the S3XY models in terms of mileage on zero emissions.

In this specific case, the Model Y combines the advantages offered by the practicality of an SUV with the drivability of a hatchback, all at a price starting from € 60,900 for the Long Range version and € 68,990 for the Performance, which offers a 0-100 kph of just 3.7 seconds (instead of 5) and a maximum speed of 241 per hour (instead of 217), but also dropping the estimated mileage from 507 to 480 km. The Model Y Long Range is not a compromise, don’t even think about it for a second, but an extremely rational solution that is based on the meeting point of several factors that make Tesla still at the top of the electric segment, even if no longer on its own. Where others aren’t able to enter the game, perhaps because it is precisely a philosophy desired by the mastermind Elon Musk and therefore exclusive to the S3XY range, we find all that series of gadgets and tools that make the Tesla experience a world on its own and that precisely for this reason will not struggle to shine with its very light – or energy – even in another ten years time.

TESLA MODEL Y DUAL MOTOR

Engine 2 electric motors Power 351 hp Torque 530 Nm

Traction All-Wheel-Drive Transmission Single-Speed Automatic Gearbox Weight 2.003 kg

0-100 kph 5 sec Top Speed 217 kph Price from €60.990  Range ca 507 km (WLTP)