The Tesla Model Y is still hot property more than two years after its launch and Europe makes no exception. Actually, the Model Y is a much newer product for Europeans than it is for US or Chinese customers, as deliveries only launched in August 2021 on the Old Continent, initially in Germany, the Netherlands and Norway.
In the UK, the Model Y is basically brand new as deliveries started there in February 2022. Richard Symons, the owner of EV specialist dealer RSymons, was one of the first people in the UK to take delivery of a Model Y Long Range, and in the three months of owning it he has covered some 5,000 miles.
Being a car dealer, he decided that now is the perfect time to part ways with the Model Y as the Long Range is in high demand in the UK—it's the only Model Y variant available at the moment—and he can sell it for the same amount of money he paid for it (about £59,000 or $74,000).
Before selling the car, Richard put together a video that lists the good things about the car, the bad things, costs, efficiency, and more.
Starting with the ride quality, he reckons the Model Y Long Range feels firmer than other EVs such as the VW ID.4, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, especially around town. The trade-off? The Model Y LR feels far sportier than those competitors on the open road. The Tesla also trumps most cars in its class when it comes to passenger and cargo space, as well as versatility.
Richard also touches on the topic of build quality and reliability, saying he has absolutely nothing to complain about. He does mention a rattle coming from the back seat occasionally and some squeaking where the roof meets the glass panel above the front seats. Actually, those are all his complaints.
Now, when it comes to efficiency, he notes that the car's lifetime efficiency is 279 Wh/mile, which translates to 3.58 miles/kWh or 17.37 kWh/100 kilometers. Taking into account that most of the 5,000 miles were covered in cold weather, that's not bad at all; now that the weather is warmer, he says he is getting 4 miles/kWh.
Since buying the car, Richard spent around £400 ($500) on charging, which works out at 8 pence (10 cents) per mile. As for the range, you won't really get 300 miles in real life as Tesla advertises, but 250 miles is easily attainable; even 270 miles if you're more forgiving with the accelerator pedal. Watch the entire video for more interesting insight into this owner's experience with the Model Y LR.
