LNG: TESLARATI

The first full review of the Tesla Model Y is an eye-opening look at how the company’s first all-electric crossover has the performance of a Porsche but with the practicality of a sport utility vehicle.

Throttle House’s James Engelsman had the opportunity to conduct a full review of a Tesla Model Y with the “Performance Upgrade”, which  includes:

• • Increased top speed from 145mph to 155mph
  • 21″ Überturbine Wheels
  • Performance Brakes
  • Lowered suspension
  • Aluminum alloy pedals

Some crossovers will never have the ability to feel like high-performance cars, according to Engelsman, because of their naturally high center of gravity. However, he notes the Model Y as almost solving this problem thanks to the excessive weight of the vehicle’s lithium-ion batteries that are located on the undercarriage of the car. Taking a corner at high speeds feels close to the Model 3 in Engelsman’s opinion, leading to the idea that driving in a “performance” fashion is possible in a crossover body type.

While the Model Y Performance configuration offers a 3.5 second 0-60 MPH acceleration rate, which is the slowest among Tesla’s Performance variants, it is “hardly slow,” according to Engelsman. The 0-60 time is faster than the $83,600 Porsche Macan Turbo, and the $81,100 Mercedes-Benz GLC 63S, and the same as the $78,295 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye.

Credit: YouTube | Throttle House

Some of Engelsman’s personal favorites include the Model Y’s large glass roof, expansive trunk space, and reclining rear seats. The ample legroom and overall spaciousness of the vehicle will surely bring comfort to even some of the tallest passengers.

Tesla Model Y is currently available in a five-seat configuration. A seven-seat layout is expected to be available at the end of this year or early  2021. Model Y is being offered in a 316-mile Long Range variant, with a starting price of $52,990, and a 315-mile Performance version for $60,990.

Check out the full Tesla Model Y review by Throttle House below.

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Tesla has published the Owner’s Manual for the Model Y, giving new owners a comprehensive guide on how to operate the company’s first all-electric crossover.

The Tesla Model Y Owner’s Manual goes online as the company begins first deliveries to customers throughout the nation, including first reports of customer cars making their way to buyers in California, Washington, Florida, New York, Utah, and beyond.

The vast majority of Model Y features are reminiscent of those found in its Model 3 sibling, although there are some key differences as follows:

• Tesla Model Y first in-depth REVIEW: How do the rear seats recline?
• Tesla Model Y first impressions: Size, rear seats, cargo space, and more
• Tesla Model Y vs. Tesla Model 3: What are the key differences?
• Tesla Model Y wireless phone charger
• Tesla Model Y power liftgate in action (video)
• Tesla Model Y key fob with passive entry

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The auto industry is now feeling the weight on the ongoing C-19 pandemic, with veteran automakers Volkswagen and Daimler announcing that they will be suspending production in their European facilities. The news comes as updates from GM, Ford, and Fiat-Chrysler in the US revealed that workers from the Big Three automakers have tested positive for the coronavirus. 

Volkswagen’s update was announced by CEO Herbert Diess, who spoke to reporters on Tuesday. Diess stated that amidst the pandemic, Volkswagen has decided to suspend work at most of the company’s European factories for at least two weeks. These include facilities in Spain, Slovakia, and Italy, all of which will be halted by the end of the week. 

Frank Witter, chief financial officer at Volkswagen, explained the decision in a statement on Tuesday. “The spread of coronavirus is currently impacting the global economy. It is uncertain how severely or for how long this will also affect the Volkswagen Group. Currently, it is almost impossible to make a reliable forecast. We are making full use of all measures in task force mode to support our employees and their families and to stabilize our business,” he said.

Fellow German carmaker Daimler also announced that it would be suspending most of its production in Europe for at least two weeks in an effort contain the spread of the coronavirus. In a statement, Daimler remarked that the closures would be affecting the company’s car, van, and commercial vehicle facilities. 

“The suspension applies to Daimler’s car, van, and commercial vehicle plants in Europe and will start this week. With these closures, Daimler is helping to protect its workforce, to interrupt chains of infection and to contain the spread of the pandemic,” the automaker noted. 

Amidst the reports from Europe, American automakers Ford and GM have confirmed to The Detroit News that one employee from each automaker has tested positive for the coronavirus. The carmakers stated that both workers, one from Warren GM and the other from Dearborn Ford, are currently in quarantine and receiving medical attention. 

In a statement, Ford spokesman T.R. Reid remarked that the worker who tested positive for COVID-19 was working remotely when the virus was contracted. As a result, the employee is expected to not have spread the virus to co-workers at the Dearborn facility. 

“He was exposed after leaving the office several days ago. He was diagnosed before returning to the office. Has not been to the office or any Ford facility,” Reid said, adding that there is currently no need to close the Dearborn plant since the affected employee never returned to the office since contracting the virus. 

The General Motors employee who tested positive for the virus, on the other hand, was in the Cole Engineering Center when COVID-19 was contracted. GM’s medical team is currently contacting individuals that may have had direct contact with the employee in question. Once determined, the potentially affected workers will be advised to self-quarantine for two weeks. Public health officials have been contacted to help clean and disinfect work and common areas at the GM site as well. 

In a statement, GM noted that the company had been in contact with the employee who contracted the virus. “We have been in contact with the family and put our emergency response plan into action, building on the preventive measures we have already taken, which include directing employees at the Cole Technical Center and other sites to work remotely if possible,” GM stated.

A Fiat Chrysler employee from the company’s Kokomo Transmission Plant in Indiana has also tested positive for the coronavirus. Reports indicate that the FCA employee is receiving medical attention, and those who he came in contact with have been put in self-quarantine. 

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The Tesla Model Y‘s addition of a heat pump is one of the electric crossover’s most unique features. It’s a subtle change from Tesla’s typical electric resistance heating system, but it could make the Model Y the best winter vehicle in the company’s lineup yet.

Electric resistance heating systems are considered 100% efficient because of their equivalent output of heat compared to their energy usage, but they do have areas for improvement. Extensive use of resistance heating, for one, results in lower real-world range when driving in colder temperatures. This results in reduced range.

It appears that Tesla has acknowledged and recognized this challenge, and thus, decided to equip a heat pump on the Model Y instead of its usual electric resistive heating system. The details of the Model Y’s heat pump are described in a recent video from Tesla enthusiast and YouTuber Andy Slye, who showed the advantages of the new system compared to the ones used in the Model 3, S, and X.

A heat pump is, in a way, an air conditioner that can work in reverse.” An A/C unit uses refrigerant to trap heat inside an area before moving it outside. A heat pump works in a similar fashion, but it is also equipped with a reversing valve that allows the unit to reverse the flow of the refrigerant, generating heat.

The heat pump does really not generate heat, with the system moving hot air into specific areas instead. Electricity is used by a compressor to send refrigerant around the system and capture the heat outside before bringing it inside. This is made possible by the refrigerant’s low boiling point. This allows heat pumps to be very efficient, generating 3 kW of thermal energy for every 1 kW of energy used.

Ultimately, this new system could help eliminate concerns about operating their electric vehicles in colder climates. After all, winter driving in an electric car usually results in decreased range. The Model Y, with its efficient heat pump, will likely still get close to its rated range even when temperatures drop. This should make the Model Y very attractive to mainstream buyers too, as it is an electric vehicle that can guarantee a lot of range per charge, regardless of outside temperatures.

Slye’s video about the new heat pump system is below.

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It appears that Tesla China has achieved a notable milestone with the construction of its Giga Shanghai facility. As indicated in recent photos from the factory’s construction site, the first pillar of the Phase 2 building was successfully installed on Sunday. This hints that the construction of the Phase 2 zone could accelerate significantly in the months to come. 

Interestingly enough, the installation of Phase 2’s first pillar comes just two days before the anniversary of Phase 1’s first pillar installation. Tesla enthusiasts who have been following the progress of Giga Shanghai since its initial ground-leveling activities back in late 2018 would remember that Giga Shanghai’s construction was expedited to a great degree following the installation of Phase 1’s first pillar, which happened on March 17, 2019. 

Little is known about Giga Shanghai’s Phase 2 zone, but based on drone flyovers of the site, the area appears to be extremely large. Tesla enthusiast and drone operator Jason Yang, who has been chronicling the development of the Gigafactory 3 site since its groundbreaking event in January 2019, observed in a recent video that the Phase 2 area seems to be larger than Phase 1, which corresponds to the section of of the facility that assembles the Made-in-China Model 3. 

Speculations among Tesla community members point to Giga Shanghai’s Phase 2 zone potentially being utilized for the production of the Model Y crossover, or perhaps the company’s residential energy products like the Solarglass Roof tiles. Both these speculations seem quite feasible considering that China’s Model Y program has been initiated by CEO Elon Musk last January. The executive has also mentioned on Twitter that Tesla is looking to bring its residential energy products like the Solarglass Roof tiles to the Chinese market. 

Amidst these reports and speculations, it would not be surprising to see significant progress in Gigafactory 3’s Phase 2 area in the coming weeks and months. This is something that has been hinted at, as local reports have suggested that the piling and foundation work for the Phase 2 zone will be completed this month, despite the country still feeling the aftereffects of the COVID-19 outbreak. It has also been suggested that the factory shell for Phase 2 will likely be completed in June, and trial production of the Model Y (or solar products for that matter) will potentially begin around October. 

Watch a recent flyover of the Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai Phase 2 site in the video below. 

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There’s been a lot of questions circulating on whether Tesla Model Y’s second-row rear seats can recline, but we now learn that it does, plus much more than we expected.

Tesla Model Y is, by many accounts, similar to its first mass-market sedan: the Model 3. With 75% of its design derived from Model 3, Tesla’s first all-electric crossover also seats five adults, with a seven-seat option coming later, but boasts a 15% improvement in rear legroom and a whopping 440% improvement in cargo space. In addition, Tesla has implemented several highly sought after improvements to Model Y, including adjustable rear seats.

Despite not being highlighted in the Tesla’s Owner’s Manual, Model Y rear seats can, in fact, recline to three separate positions by way of a button that’s located inside the upper seat adjustment latch for each outboard rear seat.  Tesla owner and YouTuber Tesla Raj details this in his in-depth video review of the Model Y.

“One unique feature of the Model Y is that the rear seats actually recline. Not only do they fold down, they recline,” notes Raj in his demonstration of the three recline positions.

How to recline Tesla Model Y rear seats

Depressing the button inside the rear seat adjustment latch will activate the motorized latching mechanism and recline the seat to the next available position. Pressing the button one time again will recline the rear seat once more. Rear passengers can also hold down the button to recline from the first available upright position to the lowest recline setting.

Model Y rear seats are spring-loaded and can incline by following the reverse procedure. When fully reclined, passengers can tap the button inside the rear seat adjustment latch to incline one position or depress the button to raise the seat to the most upright position.

Model Y Middle Rear Seat

The rear center seat in the Model Y also doubles as an armrest for rear-seat passengers when partially folded down. Inside the armrest are cupholders.

Unique to the Tesla Model Y when compared to Model 3 is a cargo passthrough. Model Y’s middle rear seat can be folded completely down to create a passthrough for stowing sporting equipment like skis and other long cargo. Lowering the middle rear seat can be achieved by pulling on the latch that’s located on the back of the middle seat.

Being able to fold down Model Y’s rear middle seat adds a nice convenience to the crossover’s utility, however, one can’t overlook the support post that protrudes from the left rear passenger seat.

“I will call out that there’s nubbin’ that sticks out. It’s not retractable. It’s always there. Kinda’ comes in the way if you’re using the passthrough,” points out Raj in his hands-on review of the Model Y.

All-in-all, the spaciousness of Tesla Model Y’s rear seat and the trunk is an undeniable strength of the company’s first mass-market crossover. Priced competitively around $50,000 to start, Model Y catapults itself into the crossover market to become a catalyst that will spark an industry-wide change to electrification among one of legacy auto’s most lucrative category.

Check out Tesla Raj’s in-depth review of the Tesla Model Y below.

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With Tesla Model Y deliveries now starting, the first in-depth reviews of the all-electric crossover have surfaced. These reviews and walkthroughs of the Model Y show that the vehicle is very much like the Model 3, if the all-electric sedan’s utility and practicality were raised to 11. A lot of this has to do with the Y’s driving modes, its storage space, and its spacious interior.

The Model 3 is not a small car by any means, but it is a midsize sedan. It’s a stunning car that beats premium rivals like the BMW 3-Series in terms of performance, but it does lack some points in terms of utility compared to say, Tesla’s flagship sedan, the Model S. The Model 3 has 15 cubic feet of cargo space, which is great for its class, but it is far smaller than the 66 cubic feet of cargo space in a 5-seater Model Y.

Tesla’s vehicles are already optimized for space, but with the added height and size of the Model Y, owners can enjoy a cabin that’s could very well feel closer in proportion to the Model X SUV than its Model 3 sedan sibling. This is particularly evident in the second-row seats, as the all-electric crossover’s tall stance offers ample headroom even for tall passengers. It remains to be seen if the Y’s third-row seats could be usable for adult passengers, but its second-row seats provide a lot of headroom and legroom.

The Model Y even has a particularly unique feature that is not present in the Model 3, or any of Tesla’s current vehicles for that matter. A look at the all-electric crossover’s menus shows that the vehicle has a dedicated “Off-Road Assist” feature. The function allows drivers to gain more control of the vehicle, which would be invaluable when driving on forest trails. Among the Model Y’s features, from its combined cargo area that can fit seven carry-on suitcases to its comfortable cabin with USB-C ports, it is Off-Road Assist that is pretty much the most surprising.

Expectations for the Model Y, after all, have been quite conservative. While Elon Musk has mentioned that the Model Y will likely outsell the Model 3, Model S, and Model X combined, Tesla has been pretty restrained in terms of marketing its crossover. This is classic Tesla (the months of Model 3 anti-selling come to mind), but now that deliveries have begun, it is starting to become evident that the Model Y is designed to become an even bigger disruptor than its sedan sibling. As it turns out, the Model Y is really a vehicle that is designed to take on the best of the premium crossover market, even if it’s off paved roads.

It is fitting that Tesla is producing the Model Y at this point in the company’s history. Tesla has learned valuable lessons with each vehicle that it released so far. One could then argue that the company had to learn the knowledge it gained with the Model 3’s production challenges before it even attempted to ramp the Model Y. Tesla is a much different automaker today, and this is one of the key reasons why now is the perfect time for Tesla to enter the crossover segment. In a way, the Model Y is definitely a lot like the Model 3, only this time, it is disrupting a segment that’s far larger in the auto industry.

Following is an in-depth review of the Tesla Model Y, courtesy of owner-enthusiast Tesla Raj.

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Tesla began Model Y deliveries to customers on Friday and we now have a first look at some of the features of the all-electric crossover.

Tesla owner and YouTuber Ben Sullins had an opportunity to do a walkthrough of the Model Y Performance with the Performance Upgrade package. The gorgeous Deep Blue Metallic Performance Model Y with 21-in Uberturbine wheels was reportedly one of the first eight vehicles delivered to customers in San Diego, California. In addition to getting a first look of the vehicle’s features, Ben also had a chance to also do a real size comparison against a Model 3 and even a Model X.

Tesla Model Y Size Comparison

The official Model Y specifications peg the vehicle’s height at 63.9 inches (1,624 mm) which isn’t much shorter in stature than Tesla’s flagship Model X SUV that stands tall at 66 inches (1,676 mm). The side-by-side size comparison against the Model X isn’t much different than the one we saw of Model Y versus a Mercedes SUV.

Although Model Y shares 75% of its DNA with the Model 3, the sedan’s shorter-by-7-inches height difference is clearly evident. The wheelbase of Model Y and Model 3 are roughly identical.

Tesla Model X vs. Model Y Performance (Credit: Ben Sullins)

(Credit: Teslanomics/YouTube)

Tesla Model Y Cargo Space and Rear Seats

Tesla Model Y’s second-row rear seats are arguably the standout differentiator for buyers who might also be looking at a Model 3.

“The first thing I really wanted to check out is the trunk space. And this is something that is the big distinguishing feature and the reason why me and my family are upgrading from a Model 3 to this,” notes Ben in discussing what he thought about Model Y’s accessibility and cargo space.

Aside from the convenience of having a power liftgate, as highlighted by Ben, Model Y’s 60/40 split-folding rear seats provide access for stowing longer cargo without compromising passenger seating. The seats fold down via an adjustment latch that’s located on the upper corners of each outboard seat, similar to Model 3. Model Y’s larger and recessed grab-style seat adjustment latch are more visible and easier to access than Model S and Model X’s more discreet, but arguably more aesthetic, seat-fold-down button.

Tesla has also added a pair of switches, located on the upper left side of the trunk, that allows for easy fold-down access to the second row rear seats. In other words, each switch controls one section of the 60-40 seat and will automatically unlatch it to fold down when activated. “When you pull on the levers, the seats fold down automatically,” notes Ben. The seat mechanism is not motorized and pulling on the lever when the seats are folded down will not raise it again.

In addition to giving us a good look at the size of Model Y’s front trunk (“frunk”), Ben also provides highlights Model Y’s secret second storage compartment that’s located beneath the trunk deck, among many other features.

Check out Ben’s video below and see what his first impression of the Model Y is.

Stick with us as Teslarati brings you all of the latest Model Y coverage, including upcoming first deep-dive reviews.

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