The company will offer Model Y owners the option to upgrade their vehicle’s range by up to 60 miles with its use of a pay-to-unlock scheme.
Model Y RWD with 7500 miles of range is finally available for $44,990 prior to Federal Tax Credits ($7,500 for AWD, $3,000 for RWD).
There is no Quicksilver color option for this fresh version, which Tesla now offers for the more expensive US models for $2,000
A few months ago, Tesla released its RWD Model Y in Europe with a range estimate of 600km (373 miles) but it’s still not the cheapest to drive. Despite consuming 14.9 kWh/100 km, or about 23.8 kWh/100 miles, Tesla claimed that it is the most energy-efficient in its class. As this one is powered by LFP cells, it would not qualify for the federal tax credit, so Tesla chose the middle ground.
Elon Musk says Tesla will unlock 60 miles of extra range from existing Model Ys for those who own the previous base RWD version that only gets 260 miles on a charge.
There are rumors that Tesla is going to lift the precautionary lock on the battery capacity of the previous Model Y RWD models. The owners will have to pay between $1,500 and $2,000, and the range will increase by 40-60 miles.
A lot of things can be explained by Elon Musk explaining that the pay-to-unlock feature will depend on the type of battery in the 260-mile Model Y.
According to its charging curves and vehicle weight, the Tesla Model Y base version was believed to have the same nickel battery as the Long Range model.
It might simply be that the battery pack from the Model Y LR software is limited to an 80% charge rate rather than slowing down to a trickle at 80%, as shown on the meter.
Tesla is overcoming “regulatory” hurdles in order to unlock the $2,000 range for the Model Y, which Elon Musk cited as advantages in terms of battery longevity and safety. Elon Musk said that he has to pay for the range now, so he started a pay-to-unlock scheme to do so.
