Test: Tesla Model Y Long Range

You can finally come across it in the Netherlands: the Tesla Model Y. To excite, Tesla already distributed the first photos with details of the car in 2018, which is in fact nothing other than the higher variant of the Model 3. Two years ago already. gave the Dutch branch of the American group a price indication. Anyway, now it’s here, in the Long Range and Performance versions, type designations that leave nothing to be desired in terms of clarity.

Was the long wait worth it? During the run-up, the competition certainly did not sit still. On the contrary. For a long time, Tesla had the exclusive right to EVs with decent specifications, but that seems to be a thing of the past. Both established car manufacturers and new players from China have come close to or may have already passed Tesla. Today we look at the Long Range. It is a crossover with two electric motors and it sprints from zero to one hundred in about five seconds. It carries a battery pack of about 75 kWh.

More generous dimensions

Outwardly, the Model Y looks little different than a Model 3 stretched in height. The crossover is 18 centimeters higher than the sedan. Something has also been added in all other directions (including the wheelbase), even if it is only a few centimeters. It is also striking that the car – to give the crossover character a boost – is equipped with black edges under the sills and along the wheel arches. The more generous dimensions give you more space in the interior. It was already a good place in the front in the Model 3 and it is even better in the Model Y, but you benefit most in the back seat. There is little to complain about in the legroom, even when you are in the middle. The bottom of the center console runs forward, so you can easily park the noses of your shoes under it. Under the large glass roof you can now also sit comfortably as an adult without having to bend your head. In short, the Model Y is a full-fledged five-seater. A seven-seat version is reportedly planned for later. While the Model 3 is a four-door sedan, the Model Y has a real five-door body with a generously opening tailgate that gives access to a very spacious trunk, of which Tesla does not specify a size. A parcel shelf or roll cover is missing. The tinted rear window should hide your luggage from view, but that doesn’t quite work. An alternative is to store (part of) your belongings in the space under the floor of the rear trunk or in the luggage compartment between the front wheels. That’s just the way it is.

The Tesla looks neatly finished inside, albeit not as premium as in the traditional brands. As with all other Teslas, the Model Y’s interior is sleek. Controls have been eliminated to the bare minimum. You only have the steering wheel, the buttons on it and the stems behind it. Furthermore, you control almost everything by swiping and swiping via the large central touch screen, which has a landscape orientation, just like with the Model 3 since the last physical update. It takes little effort to move through the mostly logical menus, although you should always watch what you are doing. You cannot operate it completely blind.

Generous gesture

The Model Y is currently only available as ultra-rapid Performance and as the Long Range tested here, other variants will come later. The text Dual Motor on the stern reveals that there are two motors on board, but otherwise Tesla is extremely frugal with information. Tesla does not want to talk about its cars much more than the acceleration times, the top speeds and the WLTP range. Thus, the Long Range variant is stated to be good for a top speed of 217 km/h, it can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 5 seconds and has a WLTP range of 507 kilometers. But the maximum engine power is not disclosed, nor is the battery capacity. However, we know from European type approval data that the front electric motor in the Long Range is good for 215 hp and the rear peaks at 299 hp. We also conclude from the chassis number that the Models Y that are sold in the Netherlands come from the Chinese Shanghai, which means that they receive an LG M48 battery pack with a capacity of 75 kWh.

The peak power of 514 hp that Tesla specifies in the European type approval seems quite generous. It seems that Tesla has homologated the Model Y with more power than is actually given. Perhaps in this way Tesla will take the liberty to increase the power with a generous gesture in an over-the-air software update in due course; the hardware can handle it.

Tesla states a WLTP consumption of 16.9 kWh/100 km, in our test we need one kWh more. That is still neat and in practice means that you can travel 419 km on a full battery. If you do your best, you can probably go even further. After a turn on the DC fast charger, the Tesla is back on the road pretty quickly, which still feels better than with the established competitors who are catching up. If longer distances have to be traveled regularly, then with the Model Y you are less often and closer to the fast charger than an average competitor.

The Model Y also does well with its course stability and cornering behavior and the tuning of springs and shock absorbers also feel well balanced.

Cameras and sensors

With electronic safety features, Tesla is definitely one of the leaders. The car is surrounded by cameras and sensors to stay away from the danger and, if necessary, to prevent misery. ‘Our’ Tesla is equipped with the €3,800 Enhanced Autopilot; for example, on the basis of navigation data, it is even possible to extract automatically. Incidentally, it is clearly indicated on the multimedia screen that the autopilot is still a beta function and this is also regularly shown in practice. In our opinion, the system says just too often that you have to figure it out yourself and that does not inspire much confidence. It’s nice to get a glimpse of the future, but you’d better keep that money in your pocket until a more stable, more refined version is available. It is also one of the few options that Tesla offers. For the rest, there is only a choice of different wheels, the color of the paint and the interior.