6 ms·

Tesla Model Y Road Trip Review: a no-compromise electric SUV

33 points by evo_9 6y ago

xeromal 6y ago
I love my tesla as much as the next guy but take electrek articles with a grain of salt. He's pretty biased.
- blinding-streak 6y ago
  Electrek authors own stock in TSLA, so they are about the most biased source there is on the topic. Certainly nothing here should be confused with journalism. https://electrek.co/about/ https://electrek.co/about/
  - oh_sigh 6y ago
    They also don't call out that their links to amazon are referral codes, meaning they take a little slice of whatever you purchase if you follow that link.
    - cosmie 6y ago
      They do, it's just an abbreviated disclosure and in small text, at the very end of the article: FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More[1]. Also fun fact: Amazon's affiliate program pays out for any[2] purchase made within 24 hours of clicking the link. So even if you don't immediately purchase anything during that visit, if you purchase anything within the day after clicking it, the affiliate still gets a cut of the transaction. [1] With More linking to https://electrek.co/about/#affiliate https://electrek.co/about/#affiliate [2] "any" purchase that's not for a product in an excluded category for the affiliate program, such as digital downloads.
- pmorici 6y ago
  I’ve seen people rag on the author Fred L on Twitter for writing click bait negative articles on the company.
  - goshx 6y ago
    Yes. I have him blocked everywhere. Once he milked the Tesla community for free Roadsters he started to act like a douche.
brianwawok 6y ago
Tis a great car. Take a test drive if you are on the fence.
martythemaniak 6y ago
For a great picture at the Model Y, I recommend Sandy Munro's complete teardown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br9luPS5VsE&list=PLkiDlGyJnprdFftxAZ85a5Rp1LlET4Wbr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br9luPS5VsE&list=PLkiDlGyJnp... Overall the Model Y seems like a far better car from Tesla's perspective - much simpler design, cheaper to build, tons of under-the-hood improvements to make it more efficient. From a consumer perspective, you really do get larger Model 3 - you pay a bit more, get a lot more volume, higher seating position and worse driving performance. Most of the improvements would probably only show up in comparison with similar cars ie longer range, cheaper price etc.
- mandeepj 6y ago
  > worse driving performance So, why to buy it then ?
  - pmorici 6y ago
    You want an SUV, and need the extra space. It still drives amazing.
  - minhazm 6y ago
    It's very slightly worse since it sits higher up and is heavier. But it's not like it's bad. And most people aren't buying the car to take it on a track. The larger size and higher seating position likely greatly outweigh any hit to performance for most people.
  - goshx 6y ago
    Worse driving performance when compared to the model 3. Better performance than most competitors in the same category. You can get 3.5s in 0-60 with the performance version.
- ct520 6y ago
  Wow thanks for sharing the YouTube link. When you said teardown I didn’t expect anything that granular!
- canada_dry 6y ago
mrpippy 6y ago
Compared to the Model 3, this has: - one extra inch of ground clearance - hatchback instead of trunk - a few more inches of head/leg room And because of that, it's an "SUV". This positioning is not at all exclusive to Tesla, but it's still annoying. Call them "CUVs", "crossovers", "lifted, less-practical wagons", whatever. Ultimately the problem is that Americans all want "SUVs", but most (rightfully so) don't want the downsides of an actual body-on-frame SUV (poor mileage, ride, packaging), or have any need for off-road capability. As a result, our most competitive auto segments are "lifted, less-practical wagon/minivan". Sigh.
- core-questions 6y ago
  I don't see how wanting these features in a vehicle is a "problem", per se. Yes, we want to be able to bring our entire families and enough stuff with us to enjoy an outing. Yes, that means a slightly bigger vehicle; but yes, we need to be able to use it to commute as well. This desire has lead to the creation of a thriving segment of the market where you can get a vehicle for ~25-35k that gets reasonable gas mileage while offering AWD and a lot of space. It works well for a lot of people - jack of all trades. Only urbanite bugmen with no families really see this as a "problem", because that type of person never actually has all the seats in the car occupied, or bothers to load a boat on top and drive out to go camping and fishing somewhere, or otherwise actually utilizes the capabilities of the vehicle. For you, there are small electric jellybean cars. I would have one of those too, but insurance costs make that prohibitive. Give me an insurance-follows-driver model so I can own a shitty cheap old pickup, a family SUV, and an electric commuting jellybean car, and I will happily do that and use less fuel overall.
  - kube-system 6y ago
    These vehicles with taller profiles often don't have more space than their platform-equivalent wagon or hatch variants. Sometimes, they're actually smaller. They just have worse aero and therefore worse fuel economy, because people like to sit higher. ~Nobody is buying a Kicks/C-HR/HR-V to go offroad/fishing/etc. Nor do these vehicles offer more space compared to similarly priced or similarly capable vehicles in these manufacturers lineups. They simply have a confidence-inspiring seating position and look cool.
sandworm101 6y ago
Lol, I love the title: "no-compromise" and "SUV". All SUVs are monuments to compromise.
- carabiner 6y ago
  RAV4 Prime - hybrid motor + battery - 500 mile range on gas hybrid, 40 mile range on battery - AWD Commute to work during the week without touching gas, then on the weekend take roadtrips to the mountains at 50 mpg. And get cheap Toyota repairs/maintenance for everything. It's the quiver of one.
  - brianwawok 6y ago
    Except: * Still need oil / change spark plugs / timing belts / all the ICE junk * But have a degrading battery like an EV * Have weight of both ICE and EV at the same time * Deal with legacy dealer network (slimey sales, have to pay a big cut to dealers) * There are an entire 5k being made for the entire US (vs 400k? Model Ys), so you can't even get one if you want one (source: https://electrek.co/2020/06/30/toyota-cuts-output-of-rav4-prime-plug-in-hybrid-for-us/ https://electrek.co/2020/06/30/toyota-cuts-output-of-rav4-pr...) . IF you can find one, expect to pay 5-10k over sticker price. So a little bit of worse of both worlds. I will gladly take my model Y, thanks ;)
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
    - Sohcahtoa82 6y ago
      > ICE junk Significantly less often. If 90% of your driving is on the battery, then you might be able to go the life of the car without replacing belts and plugs. You'd still need to change the oil, but could probably get away with only doing it once a year. > But have a degrading battery like an EV Depends on the battery. Also, even if it degrades a whopping 50% (Which would probably take 20+ years), you still have the ICE to keep you going. > Have weight of both ICE and EV at the same time With only a 40 mile battery, not a big deal. > Deal with legacy dealer network Yeah, that's pretty stupid. Dealers just get in the way, and I really wish haggling wasn't a thing at all. > There are an entire 5k being made for the entire US I'm guessing that they don't profit much if any on each car sold. I'm a Model 3 owner, but I don't expect everyone to be able (or want) to drive a BEV. Honestly I wish more plug-in hybrids were being made. They can be electric for most people's commute, yet have the ICE to prevent range anxiety.
S33V 6y ago
What are some good, unbiased reviews of the Model Y? Other than Doug DeMuro(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAXDcTH6hPw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAXDcTH6hPw), every other YouTube reviewer I've found has some stake in Tesla or is a Tesla/EV fanboy.
- ra7 6y ago
  I recently came across https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DaZxZDYh8Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DaZxZDYh8Q. I thought it was pretty neutral and discusses the major issues extensively. And if you want an insight into Model Y build issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhvT6OIq7XE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhvT6OIq7XE
unethical_ban 6y ago
>In the meantime, I took a Model Y on a road trip from Oakland, California to Sonoma and Napa over the last week to get a first impression and road trip test. That is not a road trip. I had to look it up: 40-50 miles. I'm considering a drive from south Texas to northern Colorado next month. That's a road trip. I'm gatekeeping because I saw the title and thought it would be covering charge duration, long term comfort, etc. This is a day trip, and it isn't a bad review to do - let's just label it properly.
- jayrot 6y ago
  As far as an actual road trip, no other all-electric comes close to Tesla simply due to the supercharger network. That said, it can't compare (and probably won't for a while) to an ICE road trip.
- djanogo 6y ago
  Amazing how the bar for integrity is so low for this person. 50 miles is normal work day for LOT of people who do not have charge station at work.
- pwinnski 6y ago
  You aren't kidding! Road trips are long-distance, by definition, or else the term is meaningless. 48 miles? Less than an hour? I know people who drive more than that each way from home to work! I can make that trip in my Fiat 500e, with its super-limited range. Wikipedia has a few choice quotes: "While there is no consensus as to what distance or time must be traveled/spent in order for the event to qualify as a road trip, it is a commonly held belief that commuting by means of automotive transportation should not qualify as a road trip, regardless of the distance. Some argue that travel may not require a set distance to qualify as a road trip." "In the United States, a road trip typically implies leaving the state, or in extreme cases, leaving the country for places such as Canada or Mexico. However, in larger states, travel within the state may also be considered a road trip." For me, a drive from Dallas to Waco (100 miles) is a day trip, aka a kolache run. It's also longer than I can round-trip in my Fiat. A drive from Dallas to Austin (200 miles) is starting to verge on something approaching a road trip. Dallas to Houston (250 miles), still approaching a road trip. Dallas to San Antonio (300 miles), I have called this a road trip, even though I'm second-guessing that now. Oakland to Sonoma? Ha!
galkk 6y ago
Since when drive from Oakland to Napa is road trip? How about something like Seattle to San Diego and back via 2 different routes, like I did on my forester . Or longer?
- brianwawok 6y ago
  There are tons of reviews out there for such trips. They are typically a blast! Planning to go cross country as soon as we get past the plague again ;)
yumraj 6y ago
Is it really an SUV? Regardless of whether most people use an SUV for offroading or not, it doesn't matter. Most SUVs conform to some basic features, especially around wheel clearance being higher than a typical car. This is just a roomier Model-3 or a Smaller minivan.
- brianwawok 6y ago
  It has more wheel clearance than a car (compare to model 3 specially). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_classification#SUVs_/_off-road_vehicles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_classification#SUVs_/_off-... Wikipedia hints you can pretty much call anything a SUV, it has no black and white definition.
robomartin 6y ago
50 miles. Hmmm. Now, that's a test I can pass on a bicycle. Joking aside, we were ready to go all-in this year with electrics. I even installed an oversize solar array in order to be able to solar-charge at least two vehicles. And then the fires happened here in California. This changed my mind. What became brutally apparent during the fires was that the fuel/energy infrastructure comparison between liquid and electric energy isn't even a comparison. People had all kinds of problems when their standard 30 to 50 mile commutes turned into 300 mile commutes. The charging network simply wasn't ready and, if I remember correctly, power outages caused additional issues. The fact that gas stations exist pretty much at every freeway exit is a massive strategic advantage during an emergency. One mental tool that came to mind was to imagine that we had to evacuate and we had two vehicles in front of the house: An electric Suburban-like SUV and the electic powered version of exactly the same vehicle. Which keys would I take? The answer was simple; I would leave the electric behind. Another interesting data point is that, due to the pandemic, we've had a couple of cars almost parked 100% of the time for since, say, March. Let's put it this way, last time I went to drive my little sports car it had spider webs between the tires and the ground. I've never seen that before. Without constant charging this would be a massive problem for electrics. It hasn't been an issue with our IG cars, although, yes, there's a practical limit to how long gasoline can be stored without consequences. Frankly, I don't know what it will take to spin my head back around. I absolutely do want electric vehicles in the future, and that future was going to be 2021 or 2022. Now that timeline is pushed to until such time as the infrastructure and practical realities of running electric cars become equivalent. This is also why I believe the future of electrics has to lie in some kind of a liquid-based battery charge technology rather than conventional charging. In other words, you would pump a liquid into your battery pack in 5 minutes rather than electrons. There's a question about whether or not the electrical grid could handle having tens of millions of electric vehicles charging at one time. I haven't done any math on this, which means it is hard to have a valid opinion. Gut feeling? I am not sure we can support mass adoption of electrics.
- zimpenfish 6y ago
  > 50 miles. Hmmm. Now, that's a test I can pass on a bicycle. Hell, I've done it on foot multiple times.

33 points by evo_9 6y ago

xeromal 6y ago

I love my tesla as much as the next guy but take electrek articles with a grain of salt. He's pretty biased.

blinding-streak 6y ago
Electrek authors own stock in TSLA, so they are about the most biased source there is on the topic. Certainly nothing here should be confused with journalism. https://electrek.co/about/ https://electrek.co/about/
- oh_sigh 6y ago
  They also don't call out that their links to amazon are referral codes, meaning they take a little slice of whatever you purchase if you follow that link.
  - cosmie 6y ago
    They do, it's just an abbreviated disclosure and in small text, at the very end of the article: FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More[1]. Also fun fact: Amazon's affiliate program pays out for any[2] purchase made within 24 hours of clicking the link. So even if you don't immediately purchase anything during that visit, if you purchase anything within the day after clicking it, the affiliate still gets a cut of the transaction. [1] With More linking to https://electrek.co/about/#affiliate https://electrek.co/about/#affiliate [2] "any" purchase that's not for a product in an excluded category for the affiliate program, such as digital downloads.
pmorici 6y ago
I’ve seen people rag on the author Fred L on Twitter for writing click bait negative articles on the company.
- goshx 6y ago
  Yes. I have him blocked everywhere. Once he milked the Tesla community for free Roadsters he started to act like a douche.

brianwawok 6y ago

Tis a great car. Take a test drive if you are on the fence.

martythemaniak 6y ago

For a great picture at the Model Y, I recommend Sandy Munro's complete teardown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br9luPS5VsE&list=PLkiDlGyJnprdFftxAZ85a5Rp1LlET4Wbr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br9luPS5VsE&list=PLkiDlGyJnp... Overall the Model Y seems like a far better car from Tesla's perspective - much simpler design, cheaper to build, tons of under-the-hood improvements to make it more efficient. From a consumer perspective, you really do get larger Model 3 - you pay a bit more, get a lot more volume, higher seating position and worse driving performance. Most of the improvements would probably only show up in comparison with similar cars ie longer range, cheaper price etc.

mandeepj 6y ago
> worse driving performance So, why to buy it then ?
- pmorici 6y ago
  You want an SUV, and need the extra space. It still drives amazing.
- minhazm 6y ago
  It's very slightly worse since it sits higher up and is heavier. But it's not like it's bad. And most people aren't buying the car to take it on a track. The larger size and higher seating position likely greatly outweigh any hit to performance for most people.
- goshx 6y ago
  Worse driving performance when compared to the model 3. Better performance than most competitors in the same category. You can get 3.5s in 0-60 with the performance version.
ct520 6y ago
Wow thanks for sharing the YouTube link. When you said teardown I didn’t expect anything that granular!
canada_dry 6y ago

mrpippy 6y ago

Compared to the Model 3, this has: - one extra inch of ground clearance - hatchback instead of trunk - a few more inches of head/leg room And because of that, it's an "SUV". This positioning is not at all exclusive to Tesla, but it's still annoying. Call them "CUVs", "crossovers", "lifted, less-practical wagons", whatever. Ultimately the problem is that Americans all want "SUVs", but most (rightfully so) don't want the downsides of an actual body-on-frame SUV (poor mileage, ride, packaging), or have any need for off-road capability. As a result, our most competitive auto segments are "lifted, less-practical wagon/minivan". Sigh.

core-questions 6y ago
I don't see how wanting these features in a vehicle is a "problem", per se. Yes, we want to be able to bring our entire families and enough stuff with us to enjoy an outing. Yes, that means a slightly bigger vehicle; but yes, we need to be able to use it to commute as well. This desire has lead to the creation of a thriving segment of the market where you can get a vehicle for ~25-35k that gets reasonable gas mileage while offering AWD and a lot of space. It works well for a lot of people - jack of all trades. Only urbanite bugmen with no families really see this as a "problem", because that type of person never actually has all the seats in the car occupied, or bothers to load a boat on top and drive out to go camping and fishing somewhere, or otherwise actually utilizes the capabilities of the vehicle. For you, there are small electric jellybean cars. I would have one of those too, but insurance costs make that prohibitive. Give me an insurance-follows-driver model so I can own a shitty cheap old pickup, a family SUV, and an electric commuting jellybean car, and I will happily do that and use less fuel overall.
- kube-system 6y ago
  These vehicles with taller profiles often don't have more space than their platform-equivalent wagon or hatch variants. Sometimes, they're actually smaller. They just have worse aero and therefore worse fuel economy, because people like to sit higher. ~Nobody is buying a Kicks/C-HR/HR-V to go offroad/fishing/etc. Nor do these vehicles offer more space compared to similarly priced or similarly capable vehicles in these manufacturers lineups. They simply have a confidence-inspiring seating position and look cool.

sandworm101 6y ago

Lol, I love the title: "no-compromise" and "SUV". All SUVs are monuments to compromise.

carabiner 6y ago
RAV4 Prime - hybrid motor + battery - 500 mile range on gas hybrid, 40 mile range on battery - AWD Commute to work during the week without touching gas, then on the weekend take roadtrips to the mountains at 50 mpg. And get cheap Toyota repairs/maintenance for everything. It's the quiver of one.
- brianwawok 6y ago
  Except: * Still need oil / change spark plugs / timing belts / all the ICE junk * But have a degrading battery like an EV * Have weight of both ICE and EV at the same time * Deal with legacy dealer network (slimey sales, have to pay a big cut to dealers) * There are an entire 5k being made for the entire US (vs 400k? Model Ys), so you can't even get one if you want one (source: https://electrek.co/2020/06/30/toyota-cuts-output-of-rav4-prime-plug-in-hybrid-for-us/ https://electrek.co/2020/06/30/toyota-cuts-output-of-rav4-pr...) . IF you can find one, expect to pay 5-10k over sticker price. So a little bit of worse of both worlds. I will gladly take my model Y, thanks ;)
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
  - Sohcahtoa82 6y ago
    > ICE junk Significantly less often. If 90% of your driving is on the battery, then you might be able to go the life of the car without replacing belts and plugs. You'd still need to change the oil, but could probably get away with only doing it once a year. > But have a degrading battery like an EV Depends on the battery. Also, even if it degrades a whopping 50% (Which would probably take 20+ years), you still have the ICE to keep you going. > Have weight of both ICE and EV at the same time With only a 40 mile battery, not a big deal. > Deal with legacy dealer network Yeah, that's pretty stupid. Dealers just get in the way, and I really wish haggling wasn't a thing at all. > There are an entire 5k being made for the entire US I'm guessing that they don't profit much if any on each car sold. I'm a Model 3 owner, but I don't expect everyone to be able (or want) to drive a BEV. Honestly I wish more plug-in hybrids were being made. They can be electric for most people's commute, yet have the ICE to prevent range anxiety.

S33V 6y ago

What are some good, unbiased reviews of the Model Y? Other than Doug DeMuro(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAXDcTH6hPw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAXDcTH6hPw), every other YouTube reviewer I've found has some stake in Tesla or is a Tesla/EV fanboy.

ra7 6y ago
I recently came across https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DaZxZDYh8Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DaZxZDYh8Q. I thought it was pretty neutral and discusses the major issues extensively. And if you want an insight into Model Y build issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhvT6OIq7XE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhvT6OIq7XE

unethical_ban 6y ago

>In the meantime, I took a Model Y on a road trip from Oakland, California to Sonoma and Napa over the last week to get a first impression and road trip test. That is not a road trip. I had to look it up: 40-50 miles. I'm considering a drive from south Texas to northern Colorado next month. That's a road trip. I'm gatekeeping because I saw the title and thought it would be covering charge duration, long term comfort, etc. This is a day trip, and it isn't a bad review to do - let's just label it properly.

jayrot 6y ago
As far as an actual road trip, no other all-electric comes close to Tesla simply due to the supercharger network. That said, it can't compare (and probably won't for a while) to an ICE road trip.
djanogo 6y ago
Amazing how the bar for integrity is so low for this person. 50 miles is normal work day for LOT of people who do not have charge station at work.
pwinnski 6y ago
You aren't kidding! Road trips are long-distance, by definition, or else the term is meaningless. 48 miles? Less than an hour? I know people who drive more than that each way from home to work! I can make that trip in my Fiat 500e, with its super-limited range. Wikipedia has a few choice quotes: "While there is no consensus as to what distance or time must be traveled/spent in order for the event to qualify as a road trip, it is a commonly held belief that commuting by means of automotive transportation should not qualify as a road trip, regardless of the distance. Some argue that travel may not require a set distance to qualify as a road trip." "In the United States, a road trip typically implies leaving the state, or in extreme cases, leaving the country for places such as Canada or Mexico. However, in larger states, travel within the state may also be considered a road trip." For me, a drive from Dallas to Waco (100 miles) is a day trip, aka a kolache run. It's also longer than I can round-trip in my Fiat. A drive from Dallas to Austin (200 miles) is starting to verge on something approaching a road trip. Dallas to Houston (250 miles), still approaching a road trip. Dallas to San Antonio (300 miles), I have called this a road trip, even though I'm second-guessing that now. Oakland to Sonoma? Ha!

galkk 6y ago

Since when drive from Oakland to Napa is road trip? How about something like Seattle to San Diego and back via 2 different routes, like I did on my forester . Or longer?

brianwawok 6y ago
There are tons of reviews out there for such trips. They are typically a blast! Planning to go cross country as soon as we get past the plague again ;)

yumraj 6y ago

Is it really an SUV? Regardless of whether most people use an SUV for offroading or not, it doesn't matter. Most SUVs conform to some basic features, especially around wheel clearance being higher than a typical car. This is just a roomier Model-3 or a Smaller minivan.

brianwawok 6y ago
It has more wheel clearance than a car (compare to model 3 specially). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_classification#SUVs_/_off-road_vehicles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_classification#SUVs_/_off-... Wikipedia hints you can pretty much call anything a SUV, it has no black and white definition.

robomartin 6y ago

50 miles. Hmmm. Now, that's a test I can pass on a bicycle. Joking aside, we were ready to go all-in this year with electrics. I even installed an oversize solar array in order to be able to solar-charge at least two vehicles. And then the fires happened here in California. This changed my mind. What became brutally apparent during the fires was that the fuel/energy infrastructure comparison between liquid and electric energy isn't even a comparison. People had all kinds of problems when their standard 30 to 50 mile commutes turned into 300 mile commutes. The charging network simply wasn't ready and, if I remember correctly, power outages caused additional issues. The fact that gas stations exist pretty much at every freeway exit is a massive strategic advantage during an emergency. One mental tool that came to mind was to imagine that we had to evacuate and we had two vehicles in front of the house: An electric Suburban-like SUV and the electic powered version of exactly the same vehicle. Which keys would I take? The answer was simple; I would leave the electric behind. Another interesting data point is that, due to the pandemic, we've had a couple of cars almost parked 100% of the time for since, say, March. Let's put it this way, last time I went to drive my little sports car it had spider webs between the tires and the ground. I've never seen that before. Without constant charging this would be a massive problem for electrics. It hasn't been an issue with our IG cars, although, yes, there's a practical limit to how long gasoline can be stored without consequences. Frankly, I don't know what it will take to spin my head back around. I absolutely do want electric vehicles in the future, and that future was going to be 2021 or 2022. Now that timeline is pushed to until such time as the infrastructure and practical realities of running electric cars become equivalent. This is also why I believe the future of electrics has to lie in some kind of a liquid-based battery charge technology rather than conventional charging. In other words, you would pump a liquid into your battery pack in 5 minutes rather than electrons. There's a question about whether or not the electrical grid could handle having tens of millions of electric vehicles charging at one time. I haven't done any math on this, which means it is hard to have a valid opinion. Gut feeling? I am not sure we can support mass adoption of electrics.

zimpenfish 6y ago
> 50 miles. Hmmm. Now, that's a test I can pass on a bicycle. Hell, I've done it on foot multiple times.