Ever since Tesla burst onto the electric vehicle scene with the Model S back in 2012, the American brand has been at the forefront of EV development, and has just passed another milestone.
This milestone comes from the upcoming Model Y small SUV which has just received an EPA-estimated range rating of 506 kilometres per charge, which is a significant amount more than the 450km that Tesla provided.
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Model Y deliveries are set to start American deliveries in March 2020, and if these EPA estimates are correct, it will be the most efficient electric vehicle offered on the global market.
According to Tesla's website, it's the all-wheel drive model that has received this rating, and impressively, both the 'Long Range' and more expensive 'Performance' models feature this huge range.
When put alongside other competitors in the electric SUV segment, the Model Y's lead in efficiency becomes extremely apparent. Here's Tesla's statement about this new figure:
"Due to continued engineering progress of the Model Y all-wheel drive (AWD), we have been able to increase its maximum EPA range to 315 miles, compared to our previous estimate of 280 miles. This extends Model Y's lead as the most energy-efficient electric SUV in the world."
The Model Y slots into Tesla's line-up as a small SUV that will sit beneath the Model X. As with most Tesla models, it is offered in both all and rear-wheel drive guises, with single and dual-motor options.
Just like the rest of the electric line-up, performance is impressive across the range, with the slowest Model Y hitting 100km/h in 5.9 seconds, and the fastest in 3.5 seconds.
As to when New Zealand will be receiving the Model Y still remains a mystery, but if the Model 3 was anything to go by, we aren't expecting to see it before 2021.