Tesla first began delivering the refreshed Model Y at the Giga Texas opening ceremony. Despite having 4680 cells and a structural battery pack, the vehicle only has a 279-mile EPA range. At the time Tesla said the small battery pack was the reason for the limited range. And today we learned that the refreshed Model Y only has a 50KWh battery pack.
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Tesla recently held an epic party to mark the opening of the company’s newest Gigafactory in Austin, Texas. The event so-called Cyber Rodeo featured everything from Tesla’s latest redesigned Cybertruck prototype to the first mention of a “futuristic dedicated robotaxi” Tesla is building; to drone formation featuring DogeCoin; and everything in between.
And one surprise announcement that came during the party was that Tesla held a delivery event for Model Y’s produced at the factory. At the event, Musk said, the vehicles come with Tesla’s newest 4680 batteries and a structural battery pack.
The 4680 cells and the structural battery pack architecture are seen as the holy grail of EV adoption. According to Tesla’s Battery Day presentation, all the cell chemistry, design, and manufacturing advancements that come with the 4680 cells amount to a 54% improvement in range, 56% improvement in cost per kilowatt-hour, and a 69% reduction in capital expenditure.
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The 4680 cells are also better for the environment due to a new, Tesla pioneered, lithium extraction and mining technique, dry electrode formation, use of silicon anode, and many more breakthroughs.
Considering all these advancements, it’s thought that Giga Texas-made Model Y will be Tesla’s most profitable vehicle to date. Especially when we take into account that the EV maker has priced the refreshed Model Y close to the same price as the current Model Y.
This is all wonderful on paper however, one disappointment with the refreshed Model Y is how little range the vehicle has. Given all these advancements and based on Elon Musk’s statements we were predicting when it finally begins production the refreshed Model Y will have a 475-mile range.
However, when the vehicle finally started deliveries we learned that the refreshed Model Y only has a 279-mile EPA range. This news came as a disappointment for many Tesla watchers.
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Most were dumbfounded trying to figure out how Tesla’s most advanced cells have produced a Model Y variant with the shortest range. Currently, at least in the US, the Model Y variant with the shortest range is the Performance Model Y, with a 303-mile range.
As a result, some EV watchers have even gone so far as to conclude Tesla’s Battery Day presentation was a lie. However, later on, the EV maker explained saying the reason the 4680 Model Y only has a 279-mile range is that Tesla chose to put a smaller battery pack.
At the time Tesla wrote…
Introducing the new cells meant introducing a new variant of the Model Y. We’ve designed Model Y AWD [Tesla’s name for the refreshed Model Y] to have an attractive combination of range, performance, and price that will be the best fit for many customers and will make Model Y accessible to more customers, furthering our mission. Those interested in an even more capable Model Y should explore Model Y Long Range & Performance. We have chosen to put a lower energy battery pack in Model Y AWD, resulting in a lower range, acceleration, and price point.
Tesla’s statement cleared up some of the confusion. However, questions still remained as to the exact battery pack size of the 4680 Model Y. That is at least until today, a YouTube channel called Spoken Reviews was able to get their hands on the refreshed Model Y and according to the host, the Giga Texas-built Model Y only has a 50KWh battery pack.
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Tesla doesn’t mention the battery pack size of the refreshed Model Y anywhere on the vehicle however, on the Tesla app the vehicle is branded as “50D”.
If you happen to be unfamiliar, before Tesla switched to naming its vehicles “Standard Range” “Long Range” & “Performance”, the EV maker used to name them using some combination of the letter “P”, “D”, and the size of the battery pack.
“P” and “D” stood for performance and dual motor respectively. So for example a Model S with a 100KWh battery pack, dual motors, and performance upgrades will be called Model S P100D.
So when we bring it back to the refreshed Model Y, we already know the vehicle has dual motors, and taking Telsa’s old naming convention, “50D” amounts to a dual motor 50KWh battery pack vehicle.
This makes the new Model Y, the Tesla with the smallest battery pack. The small size of the battery pack might be disappointing for some people however when you take into consideration the refreshed Model Y is able to get 279 miles of EPA range from such a small battery pack, then the vehicle becomes extremely impressive.
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In comparison, other vehicles in the Model Y’s segment such as the Mustang Mach E, Mercedes EQC, and Audi Etron all have EPA ranges (at least in their standard models) below 250miles but, with a battery pack ranging between 70 to 82 KWh respectively.
This makes the new Model Y significantly more efficient than any electric vehicle we have seen on the road. It also validates Tesla’s Battery Day pronouncement that the new 4680 cells and structural battery pack increase range by a whopping 54%.
On its own despite how exciting this news is, the refreshed Model Y with the 4680 cells is even more impressive. The refreshed Model Y currently has a combined 123 MPGe (Miles Per Gallon equivalent).
MPGe is the EPA’s efficiency measurement for electric vehicles. And using this measurement, the refreshed Model Y has a score in line with other Tesla vehicles with a much bigger battery pack.
This has led some individuals to speculate Tesla has put a much larger battery pack inside the refreshed Model Y however has chosen to software limit it at 50KWh. If true, this would mean, that the Giga Texas Model Y sometime in the future will get a software update that will increase the range to close to 400 miles.
Tesla has used the same strategy with the Model S before. The EV maker used to sell a 60KWh Model S that could later be upgraded to 75KWh for additional payment using an over-the-air software update.
One possible reason Tesla decided to bring back software-limited battery packs with the refreshed Model Y could be to conserve demand for the “old” Model Y.
If Tesla was to come out with a Model Y variant, with 400 plus mile range, under 3 seconds acceleration, and priced cheaper than the current Model Y, then demand will shift entirely to the new vehicle.
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In principle, this isn’t entirely bad since Tesla is continuously trying to disrupt its own products. However, due to the 4680 battery limitations, the EV maker will not be able to produce enough cells to satisfy the undoubtedly colossal demand the new vehicle would generate.
As of now, it’s difficult to pinpoint Tesla’s thinking when creating the refreshed Model Y. However, we will be sure to keep you posted as we get more information. Until then, make sure to visit our site torquenews.com/Tesla regularly for the latest updates.
So what do you think? Excited to see the refreshed Model Y coming in significantly more efficiently than Tesla’s other vehicles? Also, do you prefer the 4680 Model Y to the “old” Model Y? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Image: Screenshot from Tesla’s Battery Day Presentation
For more information check out: Elon Musk ‘Hesitantly Admits’ Donald Trump Was Better For Tesla Than Joe Biden
Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and The evolution of the EV space on a daily basis for several years. He covers everything about Tesla from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.
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I think this article is
I think this article is missing critical insight that Tesla itself has made clear. Production of 4680 cells is very limited and still on a pilot line. This means starting with smaller packs so as to make as many cars as possible from the constrained supply. This also means zero chance that the pack is larger yet software limited. Indeed, we are not likely to see that mode used again for a while, as long as production is cell limited.
I see your point, however, if
I see your point, however, if what you are saying is correct then that would mean the 4680 Model Y is less efficient than the 2170 version. According to the EPA, the 4680 Model Y with a structural battery pack has a "fuel economy" rating of 123MPGe. That is equivalent to the 2170 Long Range Model Y's 122MPGe rating. In conclusion, if the refreshed Model Y indeed doesn't have a software-limited pack then Tesla's Battery Day pronouncement that the new cells increase range by 54% becomes a lie.
The efficiency of the car is
The efficiency of the car is not based on the battery pack, it's based on efficiency of the motors, controllers, regen,aerodynamics, curb weight, rolling resistance, etc. The article did err though with the 54% increase of range statement. Tesla has consistently said the new cells will allow a 15% range increase for the same *physical* size of the battery pack module, not 54%.
Those of us on the Cybertruck
Those of us on the Cybertruck list ... who are now WAITING for that 9000 ton press from IDRA to be shipped to Austin from Italy ...
We can only HOPE that Elon and crew have decided to HOARD an increasingly taller pile of 4680 batteries for 2023 Cybertruck volume production.
It would be nice if Elon found a way for another 50k's worth of 4680's to be easily retrofitted to those Model Y's in the future. A 500 mile range EV sedan ... means no range anxiety for more than a few rural Americans ... and a lot more care-free distance driving miles when any of us are on vacation.
An HONEST 500 miles of EV range is a wonderful near-term goal....a 1000 mile range for a sedan is FUTURE NIRVANA !
It appears that "Spoken
It appears that "Spoken Reviews" conclusion that the Texas built MY-AWD only has a 50 KWH battery pack is incorrect. Another owner of a MY-AWD has posted detailed charging date that points to a usable capacity of around 66 KWH and that would imply a physical capacity of around 70 KWH.
The same thing I said to the
The same thing I said to the first commenter but I will repeat it here. If the 4680 Model Y is only able to get 279 miles from a 70KWh battery that will completely invalidate Tesla's Battery Day announcement that the 4680 cells increase range by 54%. Currently the Long Range Model Y manages 318 miles from a 75KWh battery.
Agree...and I am not sure why
Agree...and I am not sure why this is being left to the musings and rantings of youtubers and bloggers. The performance of the 4680's is of major concern to investors and customers and speaks directly to Tesla's future capabilities. These questions and concerns really should be cleared up asap.