Today the time had come and the first Tesla Model Y in Switzerland was unveiled. Those who pre-ordered have already received pickup dates for the end of August 2021 and can then receive their Model Y. The electric cars do not come from the USA, but from the Gigafactory in China. This means that the American manufacturer’s in-house “S3XY” lineup is also complete in Europe and, with the exception of one small vehicle, Tesla now has a simple, but still broad product range to offer.
The Model Y has arrived in Switzerland
Why Model Y?
It is no coincidence that the Model Y, with its vehicle height and design, can be classified as an SUV. Every second new car sold in Switzerland is an SUV, so there is enormous demand in this vehicle category and Tesla also wants to offer an alternative to the combustion engine there with an electric drive. Tesla Switzerland assumes that the Model Y will quickly become Tesla’s best-selling model.
Which model is available at the start?
The Tesla Model Y Long Range is currently available as a 5-seater for its launch in Switzerland. Further model versions and variants will follow at a later date. The Model Y comes from the Gigafactory Shanghai and will be delivered in this form to Swiss customers from the end of August.
Tesla Model Y storage spaceTesla Model Y storage spaceTesla Model Y storage spaceTesla Model Y storage space
Technical data for the Model Y
Tesla states a value of 16.9kWh/100km for the consumption of the Model Y, which was determined according to WLTP. I will of course test in detail how this works in practice as soon as possible. At least a range of 507km is theoretically possible. The acceleration from 0-100sec in 5.0s is of course impressive for the design.
At 4.75m long, 1.9m wide and 1.6m high, the car is significantly smaller than its larger siblings S and X, despite having plenty of storage space. It is precisely this combination that is likely to be well received in the market. The latest offering from Tesla offers a total interior volume of 2100L, but there is no official information about the trunk.
The towbar on the Model Y is installed manually (not electrically foldable) and can tow 1600kg. Such values are rare for electric cars and offer a lot of potential given the starting price.
In contrast to the Model 3, the Y also has a HEPA filter, which is otherwise only known from the S/X. This allows germ-free air in the interior, which is particularly useful in traffic jams and tunnels.
Interior
First impressions
Unfortunately, the presentation of the Model Y in Zurich was not a driving event; the homologation of the Model Y for Switzerland has not yet been completed. Nevertheless, you were able to gain first impressions, especially the higher interior and the more upright seating position will appeal to many who have waved off the Model 3. This also includes the trunk opening with rear window, which now offers significantly better loading options. The space available in the opening below the double floor and in the frunk offers an impressive amount of additional storage space. In terms of seating position and space, the Model Y should make the most of the space available in Tesla’s entire product range.
Since there is currently only the 5-seater version, I was not able to examine the third possible row of seats. But I think here that these will clearly be seats that are rarely used, as the space is then very tight. The continuous glass roof gives a feeling of space inside, especially in combination with the raised seating position and more height in the vehicle compared to the Model 3, which is another improvement. This increases comfort significantly, especially for tall people like me.
Space on the back seat
Connectivity
Like the Model 3, the Model Y doesn’t require keys, but instead connects to the smartphone for seamless entry and exit, with a single 15-inch touchscreen interface inside for all of the car’s controls. The Model Y also connects to the Tesla mobile app for easily accessible features such as remote unlocking, the summon function, climate preconditioning, location tracking, speed limit mode and much more. As with all Teslas, Model Y continues to improve over time with frequent over-the-air software updates.
Simple cockpit in the Model Y
Laden
The Model Y is of course compatible with the current Supercharger network of almost 7,000 Superchargers across Europe and offers a charging power of up to 250kW. This makes it possible to charge up to 270 km of electric range in around 15 minutes on V3 Superchargers. An 11kW AC charger is installed for charging at home; this can also be ideally used with solar power from your own roof to provide electricity from renewable sources.
Prices
The Tesla Model Y is available in Switzerland from CHF 62,000. Click here to go to the Tesla Model Y Design Studio or the product page.