Tesla pulls a page out of the In-N-Out Burger playbook and gives Model Y buyers the chance to order a cheaper option from a proverbial secret menu. Although the automaker’s website currently limits Model Y orders to either the $54,380 Long Range or $58,380 Performance variants, Tesla’s online inventory list shows that a number of its stores have salable base vehicles of the Model Y, which have a starting price of $2000 below this price of the Long Range model. (As of this writing, most of these entry-level Ys appear to include optional 20-inch wheels and tires worth at least $2000, effectively negating the base model’s cost savings over its long-range counterpart.)
Unlike the earlier entry-level rear-wheel drive Model Y that Tesla stopped producing in 2021, this new base Model Y comes standard with a twin-engine all-wheel-drive system. It also offers a longer EPA-rated range compared to its single-engine ancestor.
With a range of up to 279 miles on a full charge, the cheapest variant of the Model Y exceeds the range of the old standard-range model by 35 miles. However, it falls short of the Model Y Long Range and Performance numbers by as much as 51 and 24 miles, respectively.
The electric motors on this latest addition to the Model Y lineup are powered by Tesla’s 4680 battery pack, which the company manufactures at its Texas facility. Although Tesla does not know the pack’s rated capacity and other details, given the reduced range of Model Ys equipped with this pack, it is safe to assume that the usable capacity of these batteries will fall short of the 75.0 kWh pack that drove one 2020 long range Model Y We’ve previously tested it can go up to 316 miles on a full charge. We only managed 220 miles of range when testing the Model Y on our 75-mile freeway test.
Whether the range deficit of the base 2023 Model Y compared to its long-range relative is worth the $2000 discount is a matter of personal preference. However, the extra stacks in a base Model Y buyer’s pocket can be used for additional options for their new electric vehicle, or a lower monthly payment, or paying off those gambling debts.
Look, we’re not here to judge. We just want to let you know that Tesla is offering its own version of an Animal Style Burger for the Model Y.
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