Tesla claims the Model Y, Model S, and Model X can now go longer between charges, further strengthening its foothold on EV range
- Tesla's Model Y, Model S, and Model X now have longer ranges, the company said in January.
- The Model Y now has a maximum range of 315 miles, up from 280.
- Estimates for every Tesla model - the Model Y, Model S, Model X, and Model 3 - top the charts in terms of EV range, and adding to that range further solidifies their spots.
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Three Tesla vehicles have received range increases, according to the electric-car manufacturer and its CEO, Elon Musk.
The all-wheel-drive trims of Tesla's Model Y SUV, set for release by the end of March, can now drive 315 miles between charges, up from 280, the company said in its fourth-quarter earnings letter in January. Tesla attributed the range increase to engineering improvements. While the US Environmental Protection Agency, which certifies the driving ranges of electric vehicles, has not yet posted the results for the Model Y on its website, Tesla says the Model Y's range has been confirmed by the agency.
The EPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tesla's Model S sedan and Model X SUV have also received range increases, Musk said in January during Tesla's fourth-quarter earnings call, although the company has not yet submitted either to a new round of EPA testing. Appearing to refer only to the Model S, Musk said its new maximum range was 380 to 390 miles, up from 373 miles. Musk did not appear to specify the new maximum range of the Model X, which is listed as 328 miles on Tesla's website.
Range has been a significant point of advantage for Tesla, as even in a time when new EVs are a regular occurrence, its vehicles top the lists of EVs with the longest range. (The list cited, via Autotrader, goes by capabilities on long-range models, but Tesla has lower-range options. The Model 3, for example, has a lower-priced Standard Range trim that offers a rated 250 miles of range - and quite a few headaches - which puts it a little further down the list, and which is less than the Hyundai Kona's EPA-estimated 258 miles.)
Long range is not just a matter of pride for an EV maker - it's an essential factor in attracting customers, as limited range has been cited as one of the biggest obstacles holding EVs back from wider adoption. Some city cars have double-digit range estimates, and many others offer mileage ranges in the 100s and 200s.
The average gas-powered vehicle can drive around 300 miles on a single tank of gas, which represents the threshold at which so-called range anxiety is no longer a problem for electric vehicles, Michael Harley, the executive editor at the automotive-research website Kelley Blue Book, told Business Insider last year.
Tesla's had that milestone handled for a while now, and the company's latest announcement further leaves it behind.
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