{Disarmed} We tested the Tesla Model Y: this is how this technology-packed 100% electric SUV makes sports car fans fall in love

Tesla continues to roll out its portfolio of electric vehicles steadily. The first units of the Model Y that have arrived in Spain are already being delivered to their owners, although it has been almost a year and a half since this model was launched in the United States. This compact and 100% electric SUV shares a platform, mechanics, technology, and, ultimately, 75% of its components, with the Model 3 , which arrived on our roads just over two years ago.

We had the opportunity to test it thoroughly during a full day in which we faced a challenge: to make the most of the time we had to test both its technological deployment, in which an assistance to very advanced driving , like the experience it offers us when we place our hands on its steering wheel and step on the accelerator.

Here's a little spoiler: we've done it. And we've enjoyed doing it for a reason: the sportiness that is present in other Tesla cars is also encoded in the DNA of this Model Y. It is an SUV, and therefore its wingspan is greater than that of the Model 3 with the it has so much in common, but it is enough to experience its brutal acceleration and the way in which it allows us to take the curves to realize that it is a car with which it is possible to have fun. Much.

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It promises the sportiness of the Model 3 and the load capacity of a pure-breed SUV

This car is available in two of the versions that Tesla is already used to: the Great autonomy mode, which promises us 507 km according to the WLTP consumption and emissions homologation cycle, and the Performance version, which sacrifices some autonomy with the purpose of offering us a more radical behavior. According to Tesla the latter is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km / h in just 3.7 s , so yes, it is definitely an attractively aggressive SUV.

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The version that we have had the opportunity to test is the only one currently available in Spain: the Model Y Gran autonomy. The first units of the Performance version will reach the hands of their owners during the first quarter of 2022 .

These first Model Ys that are arriving in Europe come from Tesla's factory in Shanghai (China), but the factory that will be in charge of supplying both the Model Y and Model 3 to the European market when it manages to start large-scale production will be that of Berlin-Brandenburg , which is currently facing the final stretch of its implementation.

A characteristic of the two versions of the Model Y that we cannot ignore is that both incorporate two electric motors, one for the front axle and the other for the rear. This allows the control electronics to act on the torque delivery capacity independently on each axle, optimizing traction on a very wide range of surfaces. In addition, the center of gravity of this car is very low due to the location of the battery cells in the base of the vehicle, which clearly benefits its stability.

The acceleration capacity and maximum speed of the Performance version make it the ideal choice for fans of pure sportiness.

Before moving on, we suggest you start opening your mouth with a small aperitif. In this small table we have collected the benefits that, according to Tesla, the two versions of the Model Y promise us. As you can see, both look really good, but the acceleration capacity and the maximum speed of the Performance mode position it as the ideal option. for fans of pure sportsmanship . Of course, we assure you that the version we have tested, which, as I mentioned, is the Great autonomy, also has a very marked sporting spirit.

	Model and great autonomy	model and performance
acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h	5 s	3.7 s
maximum speed	217 km / h	241 km / h
AUTONOMY (WLTP)	507 km	480 km

In the following photograph you can see that the Model Y is very similar to the Model 3 from the front. In fact, from this perspective both cars are essentially nailed. When it comes to aesthetics, the preferences of each person are absolutely respectable, and it is likely that the stylistic bet of this electric will not convince everyone, but it is undeniable that the work of Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla's chief designer It is clean and has just the right dose of aggressiveness and elegance .

The following table summarizes the characteristics of the two versions of the Model Y. As you can see, the most relevant differences between the two cars lie in the performance that we have collected in the table that we publish a few paragraphs above. In everything else they are identical, as you might expect.

Both have a double electric motor and four-wheel drive, an alternating current load of up to 11 kW, they measure and weigh exactly the same, have the same load capacity, etc. The only difference that is worth not overlooking is that the Long range version is available with 19 or 20-inch wheels, and the Performance model incorporates 21-inch wheels more in line with its marked sporting vocation.

	MODEL AND GREAT AUTONOMY	MODEL AND PERFORMANCE
transmission	All-wheel drive with double electric motor	All-wheel drive with double electric motor
screen	15 inch touch	15 inch touch
supercharge	Pay per use (up to 250 kW)	Pay per use (up to 250 kW)
charging in alternating current	Up to 11 kW	Up to 11 kW
seating	5 (we still don't know when the other settings will be available)	5 (we still don't know when the other settings will be available)
towing capacity	Yes. Installation after delivery. High strength, class II steel bar capable of towing up to 1600 kg	Yes. Installation after delivery. High strength, class II steel bar capable of towing up to 1600 kg
Turning radius	12.13 m	12.13 m
tires	19 or 20 "	twenty-one"
weight	2003 kg	2003 kg
length	4751 mm	4751 mm
width with mirrors	2129 mm	2129 mm
width with mirrors folded	1978 mm	1978 mm
width without mirrors	1921 mm	1921 mm
height	1624 mm	1624 mm
rolling base	2890 mm	2890 mm
ground clearance	167 mm	167 mm
total cargo space (five-seat 'model y')	2,158 liters (including 117 liters in the front luggage compartment and 854 liters in the rear luggage compartment)	2,158 liters (including 117 liters in the front luggage compartment and 854 liters in the rear luggage compartment)
warranty	Basic Limited Warranty covers 4 years or 80,000 km, whichever comes first	Basic Limited Warranty covers 4 years or 80,000 km, whichever comes first
Limited Battery and Drive Unit Warranty	8 years or 192,000 km, whichever comes first, with a minimum 70% retention of battery capacity throughout the warranty period	8 years or 192,000 km, whichever comes first, with a minimum 70% retention of battery capacity throughout the warranty period
price (without incentives)	64,980 euros	70 980 euros

The angle at which we have taken the following photograph allows us to clearly see the lines of style that seek to accentuate the musculature of the side of the Model Y. The volume of the cabin invites us to intuit the presence of generous rear seats, a property to which also contributes to the large volume that this car has on top of the rear wheel. In any case, in my opinion, it is well proportioned and manages to preserve its SUV soul without giving up the sporty aesthetics of the Model 3.

Car designers tend to play with volumes and styling lines, keeping in mind the way the different planes of the body reflect light. In these photographs you can see how good a metallic finish suits the Model Y that accentuates the reflections of both the surrounding objects and, above all, the cloudy sky that covered us for much of the day we carried out this test. This dark blue metallic looks great on her, but I'd bet the red multilayer paint fits her like a glove, too.

One of the hallmarks of Tesla cars is their advanced technological equipment, and the Model Y fully respects this philosophy. In the driving assistance software we will investigate later, in the section of this article dedicated to the experience that this electric vehicle offers us, but now it is good for us to take a look at the sensors that are responsible for collecting the maximum amount of information possible about the environment you are moving through.

The Model Y incorporates a generous suite of cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a radar. These are your eyes and they have the responsibility to enable you to accurately identify objects in your environment.

Model Y incorporates cameras on the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle. The information collected by these cameras is processed by an artificial vision algorithm that is capable of interpreting it and making decisions in real time in order to adapt the car's behavior to the circumstances that driving demands at a given moment. However, these cameras are not the only ingredient in the recipe. They are not the only eyes of the Model Y.

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It also incorporates 12 ultrasonic sensors capable of identifying objects at close range and a frontal radar with a range of 160 meters that is responsible both for "seeing" the objects farthest away and those on which the cameras do not have direct vision. All the information collected by cameras, ultrasonic sensors and radar is processed and interpreted in real time by a microprocessor on which falls the responsibility of making driving easier and making it safer.

People who have already had the opportunity to see a Tesla inside will not be surprised by the interior of the Model Y, but the first contact with the cars of this brand usually has the same result: the absolute minimalism of a dashboard diaphanous in which all the prominence is claimed by a 15-inch touch screen surprises. And it is understandable that it does.

The dashboard of the Model Y is minimalist and open. The prominence is claimed by the 15-inch touch screen that acts as an interface between travelers and the car

You quickly get used to this aesthetic and functional bet, although, honestly, I miss the presence of at least a couple of clocks, or a smaller screen, in front of the driver's seat that show the essential information for driving , such as the speed at which we circulate, the remaining autonomy or the forecast of the load that we will have when we arrive at our destination.

The 15-inch screen brings together all this information, and much more, but I would prefer not to have to look at the center console so often while driving. One more note: the tray located just below the screen is upholstered in a very soft fabric and allows you to simultaneously charge two smartphones wirelessly . In addition, the center console has a small additional glove box, two compartments for drinks and a drawer under the armrest.

The front seats of the Model Y are spacious, and the driver's seat and steering wheel incorporate the necessary adjustments so that it is not difficult to find the optimal driving position . Although it is a strictly personal opinion, I really like the steering wheel of this car because it is thick and its diameter is moderate, very much in line with how I think the steering wheel of a sports car should be.

However, the seats installed in the version we tested, while comfortable, do not hold enough if you corner quickly. I believe that a vehicle of more than 60,000 euros with the character that this Model Y has should have seats with a greater holding capacity as standard.

The rear seats are spacious, and the central seat can be used by an adult of a certain size without any problem. In addition, the useful height in these squares is very respectable, so that even a person measuring 1.90 m can sit in them without their head touching the ceiling. This is one of the most obvious advantages that comes with the design of an SUV, although, as we are about to see, it is by no means the only one. And it is that the Model Y can also boast of having a very respectable load capacity .

In the following photograph we can see that the loading mouth that allows us to access the trunk of the Model Y is very generous. This trunk has a capacity of 854 liters, so it is possible to accommodate up to four or five suitcases with very respectable dimensions. In addition, the rear seats can be folded individually, which allows us to significantly increase the load capacity of this car to exceed, according to Tesla, 2150 liters if we also include the front trunk in which it allows us to browse the following photograph.

The front boot is much more modest than the rear, as usual, but its 117-liter capacity is enough to fit a compact suitcase, a sports bag, or to store triangles, a small tool bag or any other. object that we always want to have on hand and we prefer not to carry it in the main trunk in order to reserve it for the most voluminous packages.

The screen is the protagonist of an experience adjusted to the millimeter

The 15-inch touchscreen that sits in the center of the dashboard is the true nerve center of the Model Y. Everything passes through it. The driver must consult absolutely all the operating parameters of the car in this component, and to act on most of them must also resort to this screen. The only operations that can be carried out without using it are those that can be carried out using the levers located behind the steering wheel or the buttons installed on the latter.

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Fortunately, the interface that Tesla proposes to us to interact with its cars is surprisingly well designed. It brings together a lot of information, but everything is organized in a very intuitive way . And it needs to be that way for a reason: this screen is not intended to be used solely by the driver; It is designed so that it can be used by anyone who travels in the car, as we will see in a few minutes. In the following photograph we can see the 'Quick controls' section, which allows us to access the basic configuration parameters of the vehicle at a glance.

The next section of the interface is called 'Lights', and, as we can guess, it brings together all the parameters that allow us to act both on the exterior lighting of the vehicle and on the lights housed inside. As you would expect from a premium car today, the Model Y incorporates automatic headlights when environmental circumstances require us to use high- beams .

Tesla proposes several different ways to access the interior of the Model Y and start it. We can use a physical card or a smartphone in which we will have previously installed the app of this brand, which is available for both Android and iOS . From the car interface we can register several cards and several mobile phones , so that several people can access it and start it. All they need is to carry one of the key cards, or their mobile phone.

Tesla software allows us to create a profile for each user and associate with him, for example, the driving position settings

In addition, the car software identifies which person is going to use it thanks to the access device used to open it. This recognition capacity allows us to create a profile for each user and associate with him, for example, the settings of the driving position and the preferences for the reproduction of multimedia content. In this way, when a user opens the car with his mobile or his key card, the seat and the mirrors are automatically adjusted to adopt the position that he has previously registered in his profile. It is a very comfortable feature, especially if the car is used by several people.

From the 'Screen' section of the interface we can act on the brightness delivery and specify the language in which we want to communicate with the car through voice recognition. It also implements a night mode very similar to that offered by a smartphone or tablet. An interesting note: when we need to clean the screen to remove dust and grease from our fingers, all we have to do is touch the 'Screen cleaning' button. In this way, touch recognition will be deactivated, the panel will darken and we can clean it comfortably.

The section of the interface that we can see in the following photograph allows us to access the driving modes , making it easier for us to independently adjust the response of the acceleration and the hardness of the steering. The most aggressive throttle mode is the 'standard', and if we select the 'sport' steering mode it will stiffen up to help us maneuver as precisely as possible. With this configuration, the Model Y offers us an agile behavior and, above all, a lot of fun.

The 'Autopilot' section of the interface collects, as we can guess, the parameters that allow us to activate the driving assistance and autonomous driving functions. Some of these features, such as autopilot navigation and control of traffic lights and stop signs, are in beta. Even so, in theory the hardware in the cars that Tesla is currently delivering is ready to perform all the advanced driver assistance features that the brand is working on, including full autonomous driving .

The 'Navigation' section of the interface allows us to act on route planning to automate them as much as possible. We can have several predefined routes memorized that we regularly use, such as those that take us to our home and our work, but Tesla's software is also designed to integrate our calendar into route planning.

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This simply means that the Model Y software is capable of identifying the events that we have previously noted on the calendar and automatically planning our trips so that we arrive on time to our appointments. There is no doubt that any help we receive to make the most of our time is welcome.

Tesla has solved the multimedia section of the Model Y very well. The screen interface allows us to listen to the radio, the music from our mobile phone, Spotify and TuneIn with just two or three taps. It even incorporates a karaoke mode that we have not had the opportunity to try, but that promises to make long trips more enjoyable. An interesting detail that reflects how much Tesla takes care of the user experience is that this car can create a Spotify account for us in a completely automatic way.

The climate control is also carried out from the screen. Specifying the temperature at which we want to travel, turning on the air conditioning, activating the air recirculation inside the passenger compartment or turning on the heating of the front seats is a piece of cake. Even so, and this is a personal preference that probably many users will not share, when it comes to air conditioning I prefer to have physical and dedicated controls because I think they allow us to control it with more agility. And, above all, because they are less distracting when we need to manipulate them while driving.

The Model Y display incorporates its own web browser . During our tests it loaded all the pages to which we connect without problem and quite quickly, although it is a bit heavier than the latest versions of the browsers that we can use on our computers. Still, it fulfills its role wonderfully and can get us out of a bind if, for whatever reason, we don't have our mobile phone handy.

Another interesting entertainment option that Tesla has implemented on the Model Y screen is games. The 15-inch panel is more than enough to make our experience of enjoying them convincing, although we have missed a slightly more ambitious catalog. Still, finding out that one of them is 'Cuphead' was a great surprise. This game is a very enjoyable little treat that will dazzle fans of run 'n gun , boss rush, and platformer titles, so I take this opportunity to recommend it to anyone who hasn't tried it yet.

Stepping on the gas is exciting, but the punch on the table is given by the loading experience

On the asphalt this car does not disappoint. Although we have tested the Great autonomy version and not the Performance version, which is the one that promises us the best features, its acceleration when we go from relax mode to standard is one of those that take away the hiccups. Unlike cars with a combustion engine, electric cars deliver all the torque instantly, allowing them to accelerate very energetically. In fact, it is so addictive that it is hard to leave it behind if you like sporty driving.

Its extremely low center of gravity, to which the location of the battery cells at the base of the car makes a decisive contribution, gives it outstanding stability.

The Model Y is a heavy car. Its more than 2000 kg does not make it exactly light, but it has so much torque and power that it transmits an unusual agility in a vehicle of its weight. In addition, when you corner quickly, you find that its very low center of gravity , which is made a decisive contribution by the location of the battery cells in the base of the car, gives it outstanding stability. This quality is added to the traction to the two axles to offer us the sensation that it circulates on rails from which it is almost impossible to deviate.

Another important detail that sports car enthusiasts will undoubtedly like, and that has left a very good taste in my mouth, is the abundant information transmitted by the steering column and the steering wheel. This feature invites you to practice essentially sporty driving with the confidence that you only acquire when you have the feeling that the dialogue you establish with the car is fluid. When you sense that it gives you all the information you need to act on driving in a precise way and without compromising safety.

The Model Y we tested is equipped with the most advanced autonomous driving package Tesla has ever had. The improved autopilot costs 3,800 euros and incorporates, among other features, the circulation in autopilot, the autoparking, the automatic lane change and the smart call, which allows us to 'call' the car when it is parked to get it to come and get us he alone. However, there is an even more advanced and expensive package, and we have tested it.

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The most advanced package that Tesla has costs 7,500 euros and gives the Model Y, on paper, the ability to fully autonomous driving

It costs 7,500 euros, and gives the Model Y full autonomous driving capacity, although it is very important that we bear in mind that the current functions require the active and constant supervision of the driver , so that, in practice, the car has not yet been used. behaves in a completely autonomous way. This package incorporates all the functions of the basic and enhanced autopilots, to which it adds the control of traffic lights and stop signs, which is currently in beta, and will soon include automatic driving on urban roads.

The autonomous driving and driving assistance technology that Tesla has developed for its cars works wonders. It is surprising to see the huge amount of information about the characteristics of the road and the driving circumstances that the car is able to collect and interpret to make the right decisions at all times. Even so, we cannot ignore that Tesla is still working to improve its technology, and, above all, that the legislation still does not allow fully autonomous driving. We'll see what happens to all of this over the next few years.

Planning a trip with the Model Y is relatively easy. The algorithm that is responsible for monitoring the battery consumption parameters informs us in real time not only of the autonomy that we have available in the current driving circumstances, but also of the state of the battery when we arrive at our destination . If we do not have enough charge to complete our trip, we can consult in a very simple way which is the closest recharging point to our trajectory. And, of course, also if there is a Tesla supercharger within reach.

The Model Y algorithm, which is responsible for monitoring energy consumption in real time, generates a graph that describes how it has evolved throughout the journey we have done. The graph that you can see in the following photograph is full of peaks because our driving during the tests was not careful. We subjected the Model Y to very aggressive accelerations, and obviously its impact on consumption is profound.

With a smoother and more progressive ride, energy consumption is significantly reduced. Of course, the use of air conditioning also leaves its mark on the vehicle's energy consumption. Electric cars require us to be more careful with how we use energy, something that seems positive to me if we bear in mind that the future towards which we are heading requires that we all do our part to moderate our energy consumption and minimize our energy footprint. carbon.

The experience that Tesla offers us when it comes time to "refuel" is unbeatable. And it is because we do not have to carry out any paperwork. None at all . We just have to get out of the car, connect the supercharger socket to the car's charging port, and that's it. Even the cover that allows us to access the charging port opens and closes by itself. When the Model Y is ready, the app on our smartphone will notify us so that we can resume the trip.

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Communication between the car and the supercharger is bidirectional, which allows the latter to identify the vehicle it is feeding, its owner, and also the payment method that he has chosen. The charge derived from the energy that we have used will reach our account or bank card without the need for us to do anything at all . We don't have to worry about identifying ourselves or paying on the spot. And this simplicity is appreciated.

Below these lines we can see the information that the Model Y screen shows when it is connected to a supercharger . In addition to the time remaining to complete the charging process and the kilometers that we will be able to travel with the energy accumulated at this moment in the battery, it provides us with other useful data, such as, for example, what additional distance we will be able to travel thanks to the energy accumulated during the charge. current load. And also, of course, how much the load will cost us when its amount reaches our account.

In the following screenshots we can see that the Tesla app is used for much more than to access the interior of the car and start it. Using it, we can control the air conditioning remotely to make sure that the temperature inside the cabin is adequate when we are going to use the Model Y; we can turn on the external lights and honk the horn, something useful that can help us to scare away possible intruders; and we can even set a maximum speed limit that the car will prevent us from passing, among other functions. Merece la pena dedicar un poco de tiempo a esta app para familiarizarnos con todas sus prestaciones.

Se disfruta mucho conduciéndolo, pero esta es solo una parte de la experiencia

El Model Y no nos ha decepcionado. Es un SUV muy competente. También es un deportivo con unas prestaciones envidiables. Y, sobre todo, es un coche eléctrico repleto de una tecnología que tiene sentido . Que realmente aporta valor. Esto es lo que lo hace atractivo para cualquier persona que esté planteándose la compra de un coche eléctrico y le atraiga este modelo, además de por los atributos del propio coche, por el valor de la red de carga de Tesla.

A todo lo que he defendido a lo largo de este artículo me gustaría añadir algo más: este coche está mejor acabado que los primeros vehículos producidos por la compañía dirigida por Elon Musk. Tuve la oportunidad de examinar con detenimiento el interior de un Model S hace muchos años en su país de origen, antes de que Tesla desembarcase en España, y sus acabados tenían un claro margen de mejora. Eso ha cambiado. A mejor. Y este Model Y lo demuestra.

Me entusiasman sus prestaciones. Su deportividad. Y también su polivalencia. Pero lo que me enamora es su tecnología, especialmente su asistencia a la conducción y su capacidad de circulación autónoma actual y, previsiblemente, futura. Y, cómo no, la experiencia que nos propone la red de carga de Tesla. Lo que no me gusta tanto es un interior excesivamente minimalista en el que echo mucho de menos un cuadro de instrumentos principal y varios controles físicos que nos permitan actuar sobre la climatización.

En cualquier caso, los casi 65 000 euros que cuesta la versión del Model Y que hemos probado, la Gran autonomía, lo colocan definitivamente fuera del alcance de la mayor parte de los usuarios. Y el modelo Performance será aún 6000 euros más caro. Crucemos los dedos para que el Model 2 que, según el propio Elon Musk , llegará en 2023, aterrice realmente con un precio que se mueva en la órbita de los 20 000 a 22 000 euros prometidos por este controvertido empresario.

Este coche eléctrico ha sido cedido para esta prueba por Tesla. Puedes consultar nuestra política de relaciones con las empresas .

More information | Tesla

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La noticia Probamos el Tesla Model Y: así es como este SUV 100% eléctrico atiborrado de tecnología consigue enamorar a los fans de los deportivos fue publicada originalmente en xiaomist.com por Juan Carlos López .