Whether it’s Tesla or any other manufacturer, one of the biggest problems with electric cars is their range. With new technologies applied to batteries, this factor is expected to grow exponentially soon. Tesla now appears to have an offer for additional kilometers on the Model Y. The only drawback is that owners have to pay Tesla extra.
Tesla unlocks more kilometers on Model Y
Tesla has made a surprise appearance with the most affordable version of the Model Y. The company has quietly discontinued its short-range rear-wheel drive model, replacing it with a long-range RWD version. But there's an intriguing twist: Owners of the newly built short-range Model Y can unlock a significant increase in mileage for an additional fee.
It appears that Tesla has been secretly installing larger batteries in these short-range Model Ys for some time. The cars were purposely limited by software to a range of 418 km. That's about to change. Elon Musk revealed all, saying owners can pay to unlock 40 to 60 miles of extra range with a simple software update.
Of course, this new feature will not be offered by Tesla. Elon Musk's company has already accustomed drivers and owners to these situations and everything will depend on an additional amount. In the same publication he made on X (formerly Twitter), he revealed the additional amount to be paid and it is clear that it will not be little. We are talking about €1,400 (US$1,500) to €1,900 (US$2,000).
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Just pay extra! But it's not fair for everyone
When asked why this extra was not unlocked for free, https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1786587379522027795 by Elon Musk was classic. “We have to pay the bills somehow.” The new question on the minds of Tesla Model Y owners is what its real range is. The increase in kilometers will put some of these cars on the same level as the long-range version which has around 515 km (320 miles) of range.
The recently discontinued Tesla Model Y RWD cost around €40,060 in the US, before including the €7,000 tax credit for electric cars. With the range increase, older Model Y owners essentially get the latest, longest-range model at a deep discount.
It looks like Tesla is playing both sides in this case. Discontinued the cheaper short-range model to make room for a more competitive long-range version. At the same time, it offered existing customers a great deal. Furthermore, this makes the Model Y even more attractive, taking on other long-range EVs in an increasingly competitive market.
