The Tesla Model Y may well prove to be one of the most popular electric vehicles to arrive in Australia, and The Driven can reveal the specifications of Tesla’s popular electric crossover as registered with Australian authorities.
As noted previously, three variants of the Model Y have been approved for sale in Australia – a Standard Range, Performance and Long Range.
And yes – let’s just get it out of the way now – it can tow.
According to details listed by the road vehicle regulator ROVER, the Model Y has been approved to tow 750kg (non-braked) – the same as the Tesla Model 3.
However, instead of 910kg braked as with the Model 3, all three variants of the Model Y are approved to tow 1.6 tonnes, making it one of the highest-rated EVs for towing in Australia (the Audi e-Tron can tow 1.8 tonnes, while the Volvo XC40 Recharge can tow 1.5 tonnes).
Power output for the single motor Standard range Model Y is 255kW, while the Long Range with dual motors delivers up to 378kW power, and the Performance variants delivers 393kW power from its dual motors.
Battery size is listed in the documentation as 173Ah for the Standard Range, which if we assume a 360-volt architecture equates to a 62.28kWh battery. This puts the 230Ah battery that comes with the Performance and Long Range variants at 82.8kWh.
Both the Standard Range and Long Range can be purchased with either 19″ Geminis as standard, or 20″ Induction tyres and rims, while the Performance is available only with 21″ Überturbine tyres and rims.
While these specifications are not exactly surprising (they are the same as for Hong Kong), it’s good to know that they are officially approved in Australia.
Tesla’s Hong Kong website lists the Standard Range with 455-km driving range (according to the European WLTP rating), and a 5.6-second 0-100km/h acceleration time, while the Long Range will deliver a driving range of up to 542 kilometres (WLTP), with a 5-second acceleration to 100 kilometres per hour.
The range-topping Performance Model Y has a range of up to 528 kilometres (WLTP), and accelerates to 100 kilometres per hour in 3.7 seconds.
Whether all of these will be available in Australia from the get-go is unclear: while all three variants were made available immediately in Hong Kong, only the two premium variants were launched recently in the UK.
The timing of the Model Y’s launch in Australia is still very much up in the air, also; sources have suggested that it may not be made available locally until 2022.
Currently, Tesla makes the Model Y in Fremont and Shanghai (where Australian inventory is sourced). At its latest investor meeting on Thursday, Tesla executives noted that the EV maker will further ramp up production of the Model Y in 2022 after the opening of its Texas and Berlin factories.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.