Instant torque and no noise: How an EV convert fell in love with his Model Y

I love driving our Model Y – the instant torque and the lack of noise – and what this means in practice.

The electric motor makes almost no noise at all. The first time I drove the car, I wasn’t even aware that it was “on”. There is no start button, you just put your foot on the brake. I was waiting for something to happen, but it’s not like that. Nothing really happens.

I put it into drive, touched the accelerator and sure enough off we went. Creeping out of the Tesla delivery centre. It was so silent and stealthy, the only noise was from the tyres. Like when your ICE car is getting a push from a mate because the engine won’t start.

Of course there are downsides too. Just yesterday a pedestrian was about to step out in front of me, relying on hearing rather than looking before crossing the road.

As for the instant torque, that is just brilliant and makes the car delightfully responsive.

My first digital camera was a cheap compact one and there was a short delay between pressing the shutter and the thing actually taking the photo. It was enough to make me miss “the moment” many times.

Upgrading to a DSLR a few years later solved all that. Click the shutter, take the photo. It was instantaneous. No delay, moment captured.

And so it is with driving an EV. Whether it’s pulling into traffic or crossing a busy junction, you can have faith that if you see a gap you can go for it. The car won’t let you down.

And if you’re so inclined – not that I’m necessarily speaking from experience – the ability to generate maximum torque from a standing start means even the “family SUV” Model Y can jump ahead of almost any petrol or diesel car when pulling away from the lights.

This is because an ICE (internal combustion engine car) has to rev up to maximum torque whereas an EV has maximum torque available from the get go.

The torque combined with the silent running can actually work against you – if you’re not careful you can find yourself way over the speed limit without even noticing.

Maybe this is worse in a Tesla with no dashboard and the speedo off to the side on the central screen. Again, not that I’m speaking from experience 😉.

Have other EV drivers found the same thing? Let me know your thoughts below!

Gavin Mooney is country manager for powercloud in Australia, helping utilities embrace the energy transition. He is passionate about climate change and the urgent need to decarbonise global energy systems. He is always looking to learn and enjoys a lively discussion. He picked up his Tesla Model Y in early November.