Tesla Model Y Range Goes Down, Prices Stay Put

Canadians ordering and taking delivery of a Tesla Model Y will find out that the electric compact crossover’s official range has recently been shortened while prices are essentially unchanged.

When it comes to dual-motor units, the Long Range model now boasts a range of 497 km, a significant drop from the previous NRC rating of 531 km. It starts at $69,990, same as before. The Performance model, meanwhile, is down from 488 km to 459 km, and its MSRP of $76,290 represents an increase of $300 over last month.

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To be fair, Tesla dramatically cut Model Y prices back in January.

The new single-motor RWD variant that was added in April remains unchanged with 394 km of range and a base MSRP of $59,990. It is eligible to the $5,000 EV rebate from the Canadian government. So is the Long Range model.

So, what’s the deal? Similar to the Model 3 Long Range, all Model Y units delivered to Canada are now imported from Gigafactory Shanghai in China instead of coming from the U.S. They feature different batteries—presumably some of the new lithium iron phosphate (LFP) packs that Tesla has been increasingly using. Energy density is lower but durability is improved.

As for build quality, we’ll have to judge for ourselves, but considering that Gigafactory Shanghai has developed an excellent reputation in that department, you shouldn’t be too concerned that the vehicle is “Made in China.”

One last thing, and it’s an important one: delivery times have been reduced even more. According to Tesla Canada’s online configurator, whichever model you select, an order made today could be delivered later in June or in July. That’s nowhere near the case with competitors like the Hyundai IONIQ 5, Kia EV6, Volkswagen ID.4 and Toyota bZ4X, unfortunately.