India: Tesla upgrades Model Y for improved range shortly after launch

Tesla offers the Model Y in India in Standard Range RWD and Long Range RWD versions and has upgraded the latter, increasing its WLTP range from 622 to 661 kilometres. According to a report from Autocar Professional, the 6.3 per cent (39-kilometre) improvement in range comes courtesy of an 84.2 kWh battery pack that features new LG-sourced cells with higher energy density and efficiency.

Previously, Tesla offered the Model Y Long Range RWD in India with a 79 kWh battery pack. The company continues to use the same motor, giving the EV a 0–100 kph acceleration time of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 201 kph.

Tesla began deliveries of the Model Y in India just a month ago, handing over the first unit from its Mumbai showroom to Maharashtra State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik. The company also operates in the national capital, Delhi, and accepts online orders for the EV from across the country.

The manufacturer is gradually expanding its own charging network. It has installed four 250 kW Superchargers and four 11 kW Destination Chargers in Mumbai, and four 250 kW Superchargers and three 11 kW Destination Chargers in Delhi. Isabel Fan, Tesla’s Senior Director for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Macau, told journalists at the opening of the Delhi showroom that the company plans to expand its charging network to Gurugram (Haryana) and Bengaluru (Karnataka) next.

Earlier reports suggest the Model Y has not performed as well in India as Tesla expected. Despite strong pre-launch anticipation, the model had accumulated just over 600 orders around six weeks after launch. In response to the lukewarm demand, the company reduced its planned import quota for the year from an already modest 2,500 units to just 350–500 units. In the first month of sales, Tesla delivered only 60 units of the mid-size EV.

Tesla has priced the Model Y at 5.989 million rupees (approx. €58,400) for the Standard Range RWD and 6.789 million rupees (approx. €66,200) for the Long Range RWD, both excluding on-road costs. While the high pricing continues to limit its appeal, the increased range makes the EV more competitive on paper.

In the US and select European markets, Tesla this week launched the Model Y in a new entry-level Standard Range RWD configuration featuring a smaller, slower-charging battery pack and fewer comfort, connectivity, entertainment, and styling features. A recent Reuters report stated that this configuration is around 20 per cent cheaper to produce than the regular Standard Range RWD version, which the company has now placed under a new ‘Premium’ trim.

tesla.com (configurator), autocarpro.in