by Tesla has introduced a more affordable version of the Model Y with rear-wheel drive and an increased range.
The new configuration costs four thousand dollars less, while offering an additional 30 miles of range on a single charge.
The car is already available for order with the same features as the all-wheel-drive Long Range modification.
Just a few days after announcing the updated Model Y under the codename ‘Juniper’, Tesla has surprised again with a new product – the Long Range Rear Wheel Drive version. As the name implies, this model lost one motor, gained a longer range, and, as expected, became four thousand dollars cheaper than the all-wheel-drive variant.
The base price of the Model Y now starts at $33,990 for buyers who are eligible for the federal tax incentive of $7,500. Without this incentive, the car will cost $44,990. Including additional delivery and order processing fees, the total amount increases to $46,630. This makes it competitive with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6, but somewhat more expensive than the Mustang Mach-E. However, buyers get an additional 30 miles of range – 357 miles instead of 327 in the all-wheel-drive version.
However, there are compromises – the rear-wheel-drive model is inferior in dynamics. Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph takes 5.4 seconds compared to 4.6 seconds in the all-wheel-drive variant (if the owner has not purchased the Acceleration Boost option). In the future, Tesla may offer a similar option for the base Model Y.
Among the good news – the new base version received the same standard options as the all-wheel-drive car. These include 19-inch ‘Crossflow’ wheels, Stealth Grey paint, and a black interior. Additional body colors or a white interior are available for an extra fee.
For autonomous driving enthusiasts, the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) option is offered for eight thousand dollars. The first deliveries of the new model are expected within 3-5 weeks, although these terms may change.
The all-wheel-drive version of the Model Y remains unchanged with a starting price of $48,990 before incentives and additional fees. So for those who value power and dynamics, they will have to pay extra.
More to Come
In addition to the base version of the updated Model Y, Tesla is preparing to launch its most affordable model. Although the exact timing of its appearance is unknown (2025 or 2026), by the end of this year, we can expect the debut of the most powerful version of the Model Y in the Performance configuration.
