Tesla Model Y goes on sale in UK, priced from £54,990
First deliveries estimated for 'early 2022'
THE TESLA Model Y has gone on sale on the electric vehicle maker’s UK website, with customers able to order their cars from 8am this morning. Deliveries are estimated to commence in early-2022.
The electric crossover, which is a rival for the Ford Mustang Mach-E that we recently crowned Sunday Times Car of the Year 2021, was first unveiled in March 2019 and North American customers began to receive their cars in April 2020, so as with previous Tesla models, British motorists have faced a long wait for the right-hand drive version to be put on sale.
Two versions available
Two versions of the Model Y are available in the Tesla Design Studio from today: the Model Y Long Range AWD (all-wheel drive) and Model Y Performance.
Both are only available in a five seat configuration at launch; when Driving.co.uk asked about the seven-seat version Tesla said it isn’t an option in Europe and that “there isn’t a timeline for future options at the moment”. This suggests the option of a third row of seats hasn’t been ruled out but also isn’t confirmed at this stage.
The Model Y Long Range AWD (all-wheel drive) will be shipped first, says Tesla. It comes with 19in or 20in wheels, two electric motors, 315 miles of range (WLTP), a top speed of 135mph and a 0-60mph time of 4.8sec. Prices start at £54,990.
The Model Y Performance, as the name suggests, adds extra power at the expense of some efficiency. Tesla didn’t release its WLTP range but American regulators put the official deficit compared with the Long Range AWD at 23 miles.
On the plus side, the Performance version rides on more visually-appealing 21in wheels, top speed increases to 155mph and the 0-60mph times drops to 3.5sec. Prices start at £64,990 and the first cars are estimated to be delivered in mid-2022.
Both versions are compatible with the new V3 Superchargers, which can charge at rates up to 1,000 miles per hour. There are now more than 6,000 Tesla Superchargers across Europe, though many are not V3 spec yet.
They also come with features including 15in touchscreens, over-the-air software updates, a front storage compartment that results in a maximum luggage capacity of 2,100 litres, a medical-grade HEPA air filter, a panoramic glass roof, heated front and rear seats, keyless entry (via an app), “Summon” remote parking, remote pre-conditioning, location tracking and Speed Limit Mode.
Will Tesla Model Y UK deliveries begin on time?
While Tesla estimates customers in the UK will start receiving their cars from early-2022, there are currently delays in the supply of new cars globally, due to a shortage of semiconductors, while customs bottlenecks due to Covid-19 and Brexit, and the widely-reported shortfall in HGV drivers across Europe, could pose a problem for UK buyers.
However, in its Q1 earnings call in April, Tesla was upbeat about how it has dealt with the semiconductor issue, reporting: “In Q1, we were able to navigate through global chip supply shortage issues in part by pivoting extremely quickly to new microcontrollers, while simultaneously developing firmware for new chips made by new suppliers.”
Next month Tesla will be bringing online a new “gigafactory” in Berlin — the company’s first European plant — but the Model Ys rolling off that production line will all be left-hand-drive versions destined for mainland Europe.
British right-hand-drive cars will be shipped from Tesla’s production facility in Shanghai, China, where UK-spec Tesla Model 3s are produced alongside cars destined for the likes of Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Visit the Tesla Design Studio for more details.
- After reading about the Tesla Model Y going on sale in the UK, take a look at this Tesla Model 3 police car that has hit UK roads for emergency response trials
- If you like the idea of a Tesla Model Y but don’t know if there are any alternatives for similar money, check out our guide to Model 3 rivals
- Also, did you know that the Tesla Model 3 was the UK’s best-selling car last month?
