400-Mile Tesla Model Y Coming This Year?

It seems that Tesla is in a perfect position to launch a new Model Y version with 400 miles (644 km) of EPA range by the end of this year or in early 2022.

So far, only the Tesla Model S is rated at more than 400 miles of EPA Combined range (402 miles since 2020 and 412 miles estimated currently), but as we know, range improvements remain the main priority for the company. The upcoming Plaid+ version willo be above 500 miles (the company expects 520 miles).

The new Made-in-Texas (MIT) Tesla Model Y to get the latest 4680 battery cells and structural battery packs, along with other improvements (including megacastings), which together should bring substantial improvements in terms of efficiency, weight and cost.

Tesla already said in September 2020 that it should be able to increase the range by about 30%, without any new chemistry, only through switching to the new cell/pack approach.

The 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range is rated at 326 miles (303 miles in the case of the Performance version), which means that to reach 400 miles, Tesla would have to go up by 22.7%.

In other words, there are technical possibilities to reach 400 miles, the range is the top priority, and the Model S would not be beat as it's going up as well.

There is also one more thing - the availability of the 4680 will be initially limited, so it would be smart to start with a new top-of-the-line version of the Model Y with the highest range (and adequate higher margin) rather than to start at a lower point and compete with the Fremont-made Model Y.

What do you think? Will we see some major upgrade in range by the way of a switch to 4680 cells, or maybe it will be a similar range?

See also

Tesla Production Sites By Model Assignment, Capacity: April 2021

In Q1 2021, Tesla Model 3 Was World's Best-Selling Premium Sedan