According to a new document Tesla submitted to the EPA, the company is preparing to launch a new version of the Model Y with a range of 279 miles (about 449.01 kilometers) and an AWD powertrain. This may be the 4680 battery Model Y that will be produced at the Texas Gigafactory.
Judging from the new version of the Model Y rating announced by the EPA, Tesla will add a standard battery life RWD version in addition to the two versions currently on sale. But Tesla offered the model last year but discontinued it after Elon Musk said he wasn’t satisfied with the model’s battery life. The only models currently on sale in the U.S. are:
- Model Y long-range AWD version with 330 miles of range, starting at $60,000
- Model Y Performance: 303 miles of range, starting at $65,000
Now the EPA has added another version of the Tesla Model Y to its 2022 model year list, and it’s an interesting one, especially at a juncture where Tesla’s Texas Gigafactory is preparing to build the new Model Y. The new Model Y is called “2022 Tesla Model Y AWD” on the EPA website:
As you can see in the picture above, it has an EPA-rated range of 279 miles, well below the current Model Y long-range AWD version, which has a range of 330 miles. So it should be a dual-motor version of the Model Y and will have a smaller and more efficient battery pack.
This new electric SUV will be equipped with Tesla’s own 4680 battery and a new structural battery pack design, and Tesla is expected to start delivering new cars from the Texas Gigafactory soon, and may even arrive by the end of this month.