New entry-level Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD gets 383-mile range for £4k less
The stripped-back Tesla Model Y gets a bigger battery for a longer range, and it costs thousands less than its predecessor...
On sale March | Price from £44,990
A new version of the entry-level Tesla Model Y has been unveiled with the ability to travel even further on a single charge. It’s called (deep breath) the Tesla Model Y Long Range Rear Wheel Drive, and it does very much what it says on the tin: it’s a longer range version of the rear-wheel-drive car.
This comes after Tesla unveiled the Model Y Standard was announced late last year as a new base-spec version of the big-selling electric SUV. That car sits at the entry point of the Model Y lineup, with an official 314 miles of range. The ‘Standard’ has since been dropped from its name.
The new Long Range RWD is based on the Standard RWD car, but it gets a longer 383-mile range from what is understood to be the same 82kWh battery pack that was offered in the previous RWD Long Range Model Y. For reference, the Skoda Enyaq manages a maximum of 359 miles, while the Kia EV6 yields 361 miles in its most efficient form.
The new variant receives the same 292bhp rear-mounted motor as the entry-level RWD model, with the ability to complete a 0-60mph sprint in 6.9sec.
The new Long Range RWD is priced from £44,990, which is around £4000 cheaper than the model it replaces. To keep those prices low, Tesla has made some changes to the design, including the removal of the light bars at the front and rear in favour of a split-headlight design. There’s also no panoramic sunroof, and cloth replaces faux leather on the seats inside.
While higher trim levels receive a nine-speaker sound system and a rear touchscreen, entry-level models get seven speakers and just the one touchscreen up front. The steering wheel is also manually-adjustable instead of electrically.
At £44,990, the new Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD is cheaper to buy than an entry-level Kia EV6, but it's more expensive than a Skoda Enyaq SE L 85.
Tesla also unveiled the stripped-back Model 3 Standard earlier this year, so we can expect that a Long Range variant of that car is on the way.
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