Tesla has officially started offering the Model Y crossover in a Standard Range rear-wheel-drive (RWD) configuration in Europe. Hopefully, this will eventually become an option on our shores since the electric SUV is quite pricey. And, you may be pleasantly surprised at the new Model Y variant's pricing in Europe.
When Tesla first unveiled the Model Y, it became very clear that it was really just an inflated Tesla Model 3. It looks like a Model 3 after an all-you-can-eat buffet, it's built on the same platform, and initially, it seemed it would be offered in the same configurations.
Tesla teased us briefly, but we've been waiting for a base Model Y now for years. Currently, the cheapest Model Y in the US is the Long Range AWD version, which starts at $65,990. The Model Y Performance will set you back $4,000 more. These versions offer 330 and 303 miles of EPA-estimated range, respectively.
According to Electrek, the new Model Y trim in Europe is listed as "Rear-Wheel-Drive.” The new variant came as part of an update to Tesla's online configurator in Europe, and it is now available in a number of European countries.
The "entry-level" Model Y has 455 kilometers (283 miles) of WLTP range. The Model Y Long Range in Europe offers 533 km (331 miles), which is about the same as the US version, though we're talking about two very different range estimates.
Electrek writes that the Model Y RWD has the same 217 km/h top speed as the Model Y Long Range in Europe. However, the new variant doesn't accelerate nearly as quickly. A sprint from zero to 100 km/h takes 6.9 seconds.
With that said, the most compelling piece of news is the Model Y Rear-Wheel-Drive's price. The report notes that in the Netherlands, it starts at just €50,000, which is a €16,000 savings over the Long Range version. The price includes VAT of about €8,850, so the car's actual price is €41,150. While currency fluctuates and pricing is different across the globe for a number of reasons, this would translate to about the same figures in US dollars.
A ~$41,000 Model Y is relatively cheap, and it would likely be a huge hit in the US, but still out of reach for many people. However, it was just recently reported that the average new car transaction price in the US soared to a whopping ~$46,000 in July 2022.
