Can’t afford a Model Y Long Range? There’s now a cheaper option.
If you’re looking to make the plunge into EV ownership, there’s one dilemma when you shop Tesla. Because the automaker’s sold so many cars — nearly half a million in 2020 alone — there’s no federal tax incentive to lower the final asking price. That’s an issue when you consider the Tesla Model Y Long Range against, say, a Ford Mustang Mach-E. The base version of Ford’s new EV is available for $36,495 with the $7,500 incentive in mind. However, Tesla now has an riposte to Ford’s assault on its dominance in the market: the Tesla Model Y Standard Range.
Now, this new version comes in at $43,190 including destination. Dollar-for-dollar, that price competes right on par with the Mustang Mach-E (again, incentives notwithstanding). It’s only $4,000 more than a Model 3 Standard Range Plus, which may court people into Tesla’s crossover as well. For that, you get a single rear motor, as well as an estimated 244 miles of range.
That still beats the Ford Mustang Mach-E’s 230-mile range with the smaller 68-kWh battery pack. Although, it’s not as large a margin as the all-wheel drive Long Range or Performance Model Y manages against the dual-motor Mach-E. With a Tesla-quoted 5.3 second 0-60 time, it’s also about half a second faster in the sprint than the Mach-E. Unlike Ford’s crossover, though, the Model Y Standard Range is available with a third-row seat as a $3,000 option.
Which one should you choose? We try to help demystify that option in the video below. With the two entry-level EVs more or less identically priced, though, it may still be a tough decision.
