Is this really the Tesla we have been waiting for? We drove in China to learn about it...
model test Tesla Model Y remote all-wheel drive
road test location Shanghai, China
Tesla Model Y is based on the success of closely related Model 3 and has become a more practical product with its crossover style and additional cargo hold. With top-notch performance and the sharp pricing it deserves, the Y looks likely to shake up Australia's electric car market — even more so than the Model 3. With orders expected to open soon before first delivery in the first half of 2022, we are already on the road with the Model Y in Shanghai to tell for ourselves whether it is worth the hype and waiting.
is more suitable for Volkswagen
If Tesla Model 3 marks the US startup as a high-volume, Volkswagen market electric car manufacturer — consolidating its household name — then the new 2021 Tesla Model Y is the electric car the world has been waiting for.
These two models based on the same platform may share about 75% of the parts, but the Y is more practical, and when it reaches Down Under, it may be as attractive as being the top mid-size sedan – selling EV a mile in Australia.
is not far away, and Tesla has recently received official recognition from Australian regulators.
right side driving production in China is already underway. Although orders on Tesla Australian website have not yet been opened, we expect delivery to begin in the first half of next year.
Local approval covers three variants similar to Model 3.
These include entry-level single motor rear-wheel drive standard range variant, dual motor all-wheel drive remote model at midpoint - we tested here - and dual motor AWD flagships that offer 0-100 km/h acceleration in 3.7 seconds.
Based on the final specifications, pricing is expected to be about $10,000 more than the Model 3 model, with the Standard Range Plus starting at $59,900, the Long Range starting at $73,400 and Performance starting at $84,900 (all plus road fees).
The Chinese-spec Y-type remote retail price we drove is RMB 347,900 ($73,000), considering that it benefits from both dual motor power and maximum range – WLTP – verified 507 km, but probably more, depending on the factory-installed battery.
The wave of new electric vehicles from well-known brands is about to emerge, many of which are SUVs, but for now, the Model Y occupies a similar space to the Model 3 as it could become a value proposition for many high-end competitors and a new competitor for mass-market brands.
There are plenty of options from the sold-out Hyundai IONIQ 5 ($71,900) to the Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 ($76,800) and the upcoming BMW iX3 ($114,900).
The new stylish Polestar 2 fastback is also among them, mainly alongside Model 3, but also aligned with Y, matching almost in kilometers in terms of mileage of various models. The long-range dual motor Polaris 2 costs $69,900 plus Orcs.
Inside, Model Y has all the kits you expect from leading electric car manufacturers and quality brands, along with the touted autonomous driving capabilities. This brings us directly to Shanghai...
gets worse
Let's solve this problem: While the 2021 Tesla Model Y can drive autonomously on a limited range, our tests show that it is unreliable. The remote model in
test is equipped with the latest Beta 10.2 fully autonomous driving (FSD) software, which proves to be great for cruising on the highway. However, the default setting requires confirmation of each operation.
This can be turned off on the menu, but overall, autopilot (NOA) navigation is not as effective in China as the systems provided by some Chinese competitors, and there is little tendency to turn off the highway under navigation instructions.
Also, in town, Model Y lets you guess whether it will turn, and we usually don't wait to find out.
The key to this system is to provide a 360-degree coverage camera, 12 ultrasonic sensor and a 160m range forward radar.
To our surprise, for cars in the Chinese market, we managed to completely change the system to English. While speech recognition does a great job of transcribing what we say, it is not good at doing anything.
repeatedly asked to turn the navigation volume up eventually led to us having to do it manually on the touch screen menu.
is like the Model 3, almost everything, including the open glove box and suitcase, is controlled by that 15-inch screen.
Although the menu is intuitive and the response time is exemplary, the management of even basic functions such as climate control is very cumbersome.
A balanced behavior
When it accelerates from stationary to 100 km/h, it may be 1.3 seconds slower than the Performance version—5.0 seconds compared to 3.7 seconds—but the 2021 Tesla Model Y long-range version still feels fast, usually "too" fast.
cooling settings may be desirable.
You really have to pedal lightly or you will let the passengers sprinkle the oat milk latte everywhere.
Like the Model 3, the all-wheel drive Model Y uses two electric motors – one on each axle – to drive all four wheels through a single-speed transmission.
international specifications indicate that the total power of the remote AWD is 324kW/493Nm, but based on Australian certification documents (total power is 378kW) and the latest data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, we speculate that we will receive the upgraded version that has been launched in China now.
Anyway, performance is convincing in terms of driving force and range. The Y is the first Tesla to use heat pump technology to help maintain mileage in cold conditions.
Real single-pedal driving can only be achieved through one braking regeneration setting. Otherwise, the car will roll slowly and you will need to use the brakes to finally stop.
Energy recovery is much stronger than Chinese competitors, and you can really use the system instead of the brakes except for emergencies.
As the crossover with a low center of gravity , it feels more solid than the usual high-ride electric SUV and has only a little more body roll than the Model 3.
Apart from the extra space, it feels like a sedan from behind the wheels, and is only 4750mm long, the size of the Model Y will never be a problem.
Coexist with it
Compared with competitor electric cars in the Chinese market, the 2021 Tesla Model Y feels tighter, heavier and more balanced, but still has an electric feel and does not provide real feedback.
Even with long distance camouflage, the car feels set for performance and dynamics rather than comfort. That's not to say that the Model Y is harsh, but the Volkswagen ID model we drove, for example, has a better balance between ride and handling.
The optional 20-inch wheels of our test model did not help.
Although the interior is simple, the material is of high quality and the wood grain decoration is very good. Overall, it fits well with the Model 3's appearance.
dual wireless mobile phone charging board, usually made of gray velvet material, at a certain angle where the center console and the dashboard intersect.
There are two USB-Ch ports in the sliding compartment. There are two on the back of the console for rear passengers. Below the armrest is another storage space and a 12V socket.
Thanks to the high roofline, the rear head space is spacious enough for passengers with a height of at least 185 cm, and the legroom is better than the ones in 3. The large panoramic roof is equipped with ultraviolet barrier function, and the interior is full of light and ventilated.
A strange omission is that there is no handle.
The extra cargo hold is popular with 854 liters available, which increases to 2158 liters when the rear seats fold. frunk also offers an additional 117L.
There are no parcel shelves on our test car, and the two wellheads on both sides of the cargo area are large enough that shopping bags or puppies can fall into it. The trunk space of the
Model 3 is 425 liters and can be expanded with a 60/40 split folding rear seat.The third row of the
Model Y is available in other markets and is actually only suitable for short trips, but Australia's preliminary specifications show that only five-seater models are available here.
2021 Tesla Model Y does take a lot of time to adapt without a dashboard, and you can’t help but feel that head-up display can solve all the problems of having to look at the central screen.
Nevertheless, with the larger Model X SUV priced at $161,990 plus road costs (and, don’t be too slight, at least you won’t receive any new shipments until the end of 2022), Model Y found a combination of affordability, utility, and usability that other members of the Tesla line simply couldn’t manage.
We have to say that compared to the Model 3 electric vehicles made in the United States - which were sold in Australia until this year, and then turned to China - the manufacturing quality of the Y-Electric vehicles made in Shanghai has been greatly improved.
Everything seems to be put together better, just as it was intended.
Our test model has been used as a media car for more than half a year, and the only wear it shows is the jingle sound on the rear hatch!
If you can find the correct controls hidden in the menu, Y is highly customizable.
For most drivers , initially just set it the way you want it. Voice control allows changing more features without using the screen would be nice.
As an alternative to the best electric car Model 3 of 2021, Y is our affirmation.
However, when it finally appears in Down Under, it requires a closer inspection of the growing number of excellent competitor electric SUVs.
2021 Tesla Model Y remote all-wheel drive price?
Power system: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Output: 324kW/493Nm (minimum value)
Transmission: Single speed reduction gear
Battery: 75kWh Lithium ion
Range: 507km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 16.9kWh/100km (WLTP)
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