Pierre is one of the first 6 French motorists to have received his Model Y manufactured at the German Tesla factory. If today he is happy to own and drive this electric SUV, it is for a number of reasons that he revealed to Maxime Fontanier.
Made in Germany
Repeatedly postponed, production at Tesla’s European factory a started last March, focusing on the Model Y in performance version. On the 22nd of that same month, we learned that the first 30 German customers had been delivered. Rare for this manufacturer, a press release was issued for the occasion. He specified that some French motorists would also be served Before the end of the month.
Thus our witness Pierre, who received his copy ordered on January 12, 2022 on March 31. To be satisfied so quickly, he had to pay the full amount of the invoice approximately 6 weeks before the delivery date. He is sorry for a long unfriendly contact with the American manufacturer’s team: ” They are not looking for the customer. You can see it, they show it to you, demonstrate it to you and explain it to you very easily ».
In balance, our reader is still delighted to have noticed no defect in the finish or adjustment on his car. A quality specific to the Berlin plant? Hard to say today.
Performance vs Great Autonomy
Apart from the price – 62,990 compared to 66,990 euros on April 20, 2022 -, what changes between the Long Autonomy and Performance versions of the Electric SUV Tesla Model Y ? Both have all-wheel drive provided by the same 2 motors: induction for the front, synchronous with permanent magnets at the rear.
Except that the Performance derives from this endowment a power of 534 hp against 457 hp. The exercise from 0 to 100 km / h goes from 5 to 3.7 seconds for the unbridled Model Y whose top speed is also raised, from 217 to 250 km / h. With a battery with a similar gross energy capacity of around 79 kWh, the range is 19 km higher with the wiser version, i.e. 533 compared to 514 km.
Other features of the Performance version include a revised braking system, lowered suspension, 21-inch Überturbine alloy wheels as standard, an aluminum-style crankset and a carbon fiber spoiler that improves stability at high speeds.
A model that corresponds to the use of Pierre
Why did you choose a Performance version? ” Because it is the one that best suits our use today “replies Peter. The household previously had 3 cars. He and his partner each used a vehicle on a daily basis. The last was used for the weekend.
Game changer with the Tesla Model Y : « It is used daily by my wife, but also serves us for the weekend and for family vacations. It will therefore be as much an everyday car as a pleasure car. This pleasure side pushed us to choose the most efficient “, he explains.
Due to relatively intensive use with quite a lot of trips around town, our witness wanted to enhance the appearance of his car. He learned from watching YouTube videos that ” paints and varnishes are extremely fragile at Tesla “. This is why he immediately entrusted his Model Y to a specialist in detailing who performed a polish complete bodywork, before fully applying a PPF protective film. Sporting also black logos, the machine was baptized Dark Angel.
The Model Y everyday
Pierre recharges his Model Y at home. ” It’s very long ! But you plug it in at 8:00 p.m. in your garage, and you find it the next morning already fully charged. So far we haven’t gone further than 80% energy in the battery, which gives us an estimated range of 420 km. Which is mostly enough for the week “, he encrypts.
Although the suspension is lowered, Maxime Fontanier did not notice a greater harshness with the Performance version compared to the Grande Autonomie. ” I find the suspension harsh, but on the other hand the seats are extremely soft », oppose Pierre. « The turning radius, on the other hand, is a real defect. A U-turn that you can simply do in a parking lot with another car, you have to do it 3 times at the wheel of the Model Y “, he warns.
During a short tour with Dark Angel, Maxime Fontanier taught our reader that the low perception of rolling noise on board is to the credit of Pirelli, which has developed specific tires with sound-absorbing foam for this model. The impression is accentuated by the presence of a luggage cover shelf in the trunk.
Equipment and options
« Thanks to the double glazing at the front and at the back, you don’t hear outside noise. Especially since I have a tendency to listen to music a little loud, and the Model Y has an extraordinary audio system. It’s one of the best I’ve known “says Peter. Its electric SUV is equipped with a few options, including black varnish paint and improved Autopilot, respectively billable 1,190 and 3,800 euros.
The latter brings in particular Autopilot navigation, automatic lane change to overtake another vehicle, autonomous parking and intelligent exit from a parking space. Our reader indicates that he followed the advice of other users for this, and of Maxime Fontanier himself via a test video of the Long Range version of the Model Y.
« Full is useless. On the other hand, the first level is useful, if only by taking the highways where the car will make its lane changes on its own, which prevents it from ringing all the time. As we will be doing a lot of city driving with it, automatic parking can help us “, he justifies.
Soon a first long trip
« With this electric car, autonomy is no longer a problem “says Peter. However, he found that several systems tend to drain the battery. Thereby Sentinel mode that monitors activity around the vehicle by means of 4 cameras, but also the automatic system which keeps the temperature on board correct.
« We haven’t tried yet the Tesla superchargersbut we will soon be making our first long trip with the Model Y, to the south of Portugal, to Faro “, reveals our reader. ” We wanted to make it simple by taking only one badge, Chargemap which we consider to be the most open. We expect to be able to charge from 10-80% in 20 minutes. So charging is not a problem either “, he feels.
« The Tesla Model Y, it’s an extraordinary concept, it’s a different car, and which can only delight you Pierre concludes to express a joy that he hopes will be contagious.
The whole Automobile Propre team thanks him for his cheerful testimony!