The refreshed Tesla Model Y will go on sale in Ireland this summer, with prices starting at just under €45,000. However, the first examples of Tesla’s revamped electric hatchback will be the high-specification Launch Series versions, which start at a heady €60,990 and arrive in May. They will be followed by three slightly less upmarket models, which will come to market in June.
How does the new Model Y range shape up?
In essence, the Model Y range will comprise four different versions, with the base model being the €44,990 Rear-Wheel Drive. Above that is the €49,990 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive model, with its bigger battery and greater range, and the €52,990 Long Range All-Wheel Drive model. Finally, the €60,990 Launch Series crowns the range, trading a small drop in range for even greater performance.
Not that any Model Y will be slow or short of range. The basic Rear-Wheel Drive model claims 500km of range on the official efficiency test, while Tesla says it’ll get from 0-100km/h in less than six seconds. The Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive model, meanwhile, has the greatest range of all, covering 622km between charges and offering a slight improvement in performance over the base version.
The Long Range All-Wheel Drive option, meanwhile, adds a second electric motor to the mix, sending power to all four wheels for maximum traction and cutting the 0-100km/h time to 4.8 seconds. However, that impacts the range slightly, with the car managing 586km between charges, according to the official figures.
The Launch Series will be the fastest model in the range - at least for the time being - managing the 0-100km/h dash in 4.3 seconds, but that performance sees the range drop slightly. With an official figure of 568km, though, it’s only slightly less efficient than the Long Range All-Wheel Drive model.
What do you get for your money?
Every version of the new Model Y is well equipped, with acoustic glass, an eight-inch rear touchscreen, hands-free boot opening and an additional front-facing camera. The two front seats are ventilated and are apparently more comfortable than before, while both the front and second rows of seats are heated.
Tesla also claims to have improved the Model Y’s ride comfort with redesigned suspension technology and steering, while there’s new sound-deadening technology to reduce road noise and wind noise. There’s also an upgraded glass roof that reduces heat transfer into the cabin for greater passenger comfort.
And the American company is also offering the new Model Y with two new paint colours. Ultra Red is a high-chroma colour with multi-coat paint for greater depth, while Stealth Grey is designed to accentuate the car’s shape.
So, when can I have one?
The new-shape Model Y is already on show in Ireland, with Tesla Dublin having one on display at its Sandyford showroom. However, the Launch Series versions of the new Model Y will go on sale in May, with the rest of the range following suit in June.