TESLA

Tesla Model Y Standard: 10,000 euros cheaper in Spain

Just days after its launch in its home market, the US, Tesla launched the Model Y Standard (the cheapest version of the American electric crossover lineup) in Europe... and Spain. Starting today, the car that was the best-selling in the world in 2023 (outselling traditional combustion models) is available for purchase at the brand's dealerships in Spain.

And, as expected, its price is below the psychological barrier of 40,000 euros. The Tesla Model Y Standard (which will also be called this in Spain) starts at 39,990 euros, representing a price difference of no less than 10,000 euros compared to the Premium (the new name for the old rear-wheel-drive model).

What you won’t find on the cheaper version are the panoramic glass roof (on the inside, at least), a screen for rear passengers, leather seats, or the light bars on both ends. There's no FM/AM radio either and the frequency selective dampers, which give the refreshed Model Y a more comfortable ride quality at city and highway speeds, also seem to have been replaced by simpler passive dampers.

The difference compared to the upcoming version is significantly greater than the selling price in the US (in fact, it's double), which is sure to make this version a favorite among Spanish consumers. Mainly because, with government aid, its price could be truly competitive.

Because, in the hypothetical case of qualifying for the maximum aid (€7,000 under the Moves III Plan, if we scrap an old car) and a €3,000 income tax deduction, the Tesla Model Y Standard could be available for less than €30,000. Undoubtedly, an unbeatable price.

The Tesla Model Y Standard, which will be available from November to December, will offer a range according to the European WLTP cycle of 534 kilometers per charge (with maximum power reduced from 250 to 225 kW), and will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds (1.6 seconds slower than the previous Rear-Wheel Drive).

Tesla has finally rolled out its long-promised affordable Model Y. The new base trim, called the Model Y Standard, is a stripped-down version of the company’s best-selling electric vehicle. It’s cheaper and simpler, but it still packs Tesla’s trademark tech, software and driving range found on pricier models. 

The Model Y Standard comes with seamless Supercharger access and automatic route planning, mobile app controls with remote climate controls and safety features like Sentry Mode and Dog Mode. Unlike other Teslas, Autopilot is not standard on the cheaper Model Y. It only gets adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring. (It's missing Tesla's "Autosteer" feature that guides a car to follow lane lines.)

However, the car is hardware-ready for the Full Self Driving (FSD) advanced driver assistance system, though unlocking that capability is still an $8,000 add-on.

Its equipment is more limited than that of the Model Y we've seen so far (and, just like the American car, its aesthetics are now simpler, both at the front – which no longer has the continuous LED bar – and at the rear). Thus, its sound system is the most basic (with seven speakers instead of the Premium's minimum nine), the wheels are 18" instead of 19" (and there's no option to install more), and there's no 8" screen for the rear seats (so the air vents in this area are adjusted manually rather than by touch).

The roof is still glass, but it doesn't have an opening option; the center console opens instead of closes like in other Model Y models, and the steering wheel is manually adjustable. The seat upholstery is now textile, with no leather option (which, in our opinion, can be an advantage in some cases).

As with the American Model Y Standard, the rear seats can now only be folded manually, and only the front seats are heated...but, in the case of the European model, the mirrors still fold automatically. The FM radio has also been retained in Europe.

The roof of the vehicle is still glass, though, instead of metal, leaving potential buyers wondering whether they could simply remove the headliner and have a panoramic roof like on the more expensive Model Y trims. Not really, it turns out, as the glass of the Tesla Model Y Standard roof is not transparent and would be opaque to see through both from the inside, and out.

Tesla's chief engineer Lars Moravy said that Tesla still saved a few bucks in manufacturing costs by leaving the Premium's glass roof in place, but removing the laminated silver coating that reflects the infrared spectrum to keep the interior cooler. Since the Model Y Standard has a headliner, it didn't need that, and it also serves as extra HVAC and noise insulation. The silver coating is sometimes not enough to keep the Premium trims cool, so their owners in sunny climates are often getting third-party solutions like the Model Y Sunshade Roof available on Amazon at 30% off, to increase the A/C efficiency.

It was cheaper to assemble the Model Y Standard with the already existing glass roof, too, rather than develop and order a separate metal part anew. Or, as Lars Moravy puts it, the Model Y Standard still comes with a glass roof, albeit opaque, on account of "cost, supply chain and manufacturing efficiency in our factories." Moreover, continued Moravy, a lot of fans wanted a closed roof with a headliner, so Tesla ostensibly delivered what its customers asked for.

With the addition of the Model Y Standard, the American electric crossover lineup is complete...and redefined in terms of equipment and designations. of version.

Now the basic version is called Standard, the next step is the Premium (with rear-wheel drive variants - 49,990 euros - and all-wheel drive 52,990 euros), and the highlight is the also recent Performance (61,990 euros).

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