(Elbil24): It has not been very long since Tesla started selling a fourth edition of the Model Y in Norway, which in the US has rather replaced the basic model.
From before, Tesla has offered performance- and Long Range-the variants with four-wheel drive, in addition to the basic model with rear-wheel drive, but in April the company also launched a new variant with rear-wheel drive and the longest range of all four models – Long range rear wheel driveas it is called in the configurator.
Now it may turn out that those who have bought the cheapest Model Y variant in recent months have actually bought this new long range version, but where parts of the battery are “locked”.
Pay for extra range
Elon Musk claims on the X that the “260-mile version” (the base model with rear-wheel drive, journal note) actually has more range to offer:
By paying 1,500–2,000 dollars (~16–22,000 kroner), owners can unlock between 40 and 60 new miles (64–96 km) of range depending on which battery cells they have, Musk writes in the post, before stating that the company is working with getting approval from the authorities before this can be offered.
And 60 miles is the exact range difference between the two rear-wheel drive versions by the EPA standard they use in the US. There, the two have a range of 260 and 320 miles respectively (418 and 515 km).
Not the first time
In fact, it’s not the first time Tesla has offered customers to unlock more battery capacity. In 2016, it turned out that owners of Model S with a 70 kWh battery actually had a 75 kWh battery, which could be unlocked for $3,000, writes The Verge.
Musk’s post has received several hundred responses, with many X users being critical. Several believe that this is something that should have just been unlocked straight away, while others point out that they are driving around with unnecessary weight if they do not choose to pay.
Tesla is not alone in offering upgrades of this type, which really only unlock capacities the car already has. In the US, some Mercedes-Benz owners can subscribe to extra engine power, and BMW offers subscriptions to heated seats and steering wheels in some countries.
