Just before deliveries of the Tesla Model Y began Friday (according to various accounts on Twitter, at least), Tesla showed more views of the interior, and nudged the top EPA range rating up to 316 miles.
That's a one-mile increase from the 315 miles quoted by Tesla in January. At the time, the automaker said it was raising the top range rating from the previous 280 miles thanks to "continuing engineering progress."
Published on the Model Y page of Tesla's website—but not yet confirmed by the EPA—the 316-mile range applies to the Long Range version of the all-wheel drive Model Y. The Performance version is rated at 315 miles.
As the name implies, the Performance is the sportier of the two. It will do 0 to 60 mph in as little as 3.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 145 mph, according to Tesla. Figures for the Long Range variant are 4.8 seconds to 60 mph and a top speed of 135 mph.
Tesla also released a video showing the cargo area of the Model Y, showing owners how to fold the rear seats.
The seats can be folded using latches on the seats themselves, or with a switch in the cargo area, in case you were wondering.
Tesla Model Y
The second-row bench has a 40/20/40 split, so individual sections can be folded down to accommodate longer items while still leaving room for passengers.
The Model Y shares many components with the Model 3, but has a crossover body style with a rear hatch instead of a trunk.
The two models were thought to share an all-wheel drive powertrain (the Model 3 is also available with rear-wheel drive); a higher city efficiency rating indicates the Model Y may have gotten some additional tweaks, however.
The Model Y Performance gets an EPA-rated 129 MPGe city—despite being heavier—while the Model 3 Performance is rated at 124 MPGe city.
Both models earn the same combined efficiency rating, while the Model Y's taller, less aerodynamic profile leaves it at a disadvantage on the highway. The Model Y is rated at 112 MPGe highway, versus 116 MPGe for the Model 3.
Just this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced, via Twitter, that the automaker was "scouting locations" for a new United States factory to build both the Model Y and the eagerly anticipated Cybertruck. Tesla's reservation page still indicates the company plans to begin deliveries of at least one version of the Cybertruck in 2021.
