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Tesla's Model Y L Premium serves as the ideal electric vehicle for families in India with its large and adaptable layout.
If you've ever fantasised about going on a long family road trip with your kids, grandparents and tonnes of luggage but couldn't imagine yourself in a Tesla, you've now got a way to do so.
The latest Tesla Model Y L Premium, with the "L" denoting Long Wheelbase, is set to make its debut in India and will quite possibly provide you with a fresh approach to family-friendly transportation. The Model Y L Premium is priced at Rs. 61.99 lakhs (plus taxes), representing an all-new and high-quality electric vehicle (EV) for Indian consumers looking for space, luxury, and no emissions.
For families looking to go electric but previously felt their choices were restricted by their inability to find a premium EV with sufficient legroom under INR 1 crore, read more about the amazing new Tesla Model Y L Premium here. Let's get in to everything you need to understand about the new Tesla Model Y L Premium.
The BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: It's a 6-Seater SUV!
One of the biggest complaints about premium 5-seater SUVs in India has been that they only seat 5 people. Therefore, when most families in India have large families and want to go out together, this becomes a no-go situation.
Tesla has finally listened! Introducing the Model Y L Premium with the highly anticipated three-row 2+2+2 seating arrangement!
Rather than putting a low-quality middle seat in between, Tesla has replaced it with 2 ultra-luxurious captain's chairs in row 2. These are not just basic captain's chairs, but now they offer built-in heated, cooled, one-touch power reclining and additional under-thigh support making them more comfortable than sitting in first class on an airline. While you may not have thought of using the 3rd row for adults on long trips, the 3rd-row seating area is now "usable" by providing its own independent climate control and powered reclining options.
The Model Y L is designed with extra rows of seats. Therefore, Tesla has enlarged the body of this vehicle, resulting in a larger wheelbase from the original Model Y to a new figure of 3040 mm. Overall, the total length will now measure approximately 5 metre long (4,969 mm).
So how does this help you as a passenger? The middle row of seats provides unlimited legroom and comfort, making it feel like sitting in a limousine.
The longer length and increased wheelbase provide you with an even smoother ride while travelling on the freeway.
And finally, if you fold down the second and third row seats flat, it allows you to have a maximum payload of 2,539 litres of storage space. Plus, you still have the unique "frunk" (front trunk) feature that is typical of all Teslas, providing you with an additional 116 litres of storage.
From a visual standpoint, the Model Y L still appears to have the same sleek sports car design of the Model Y; however, upon further inspection, you can see the modifications made to enhance the overall look of this vehicle. Not just the longer exterior door handles but also modifications to the rear roof line for headroom for all three passenger rows, a more defined sporty boot-lid spoiler and new 19-inch Machina 2.0 alloy wheels that provide the Model Y L with a dominating presence on the road.
What do you mean by Range Anxiety?
Range is always going to be the first thoughts that come to mind when having a discussion about Electric Vehicles. At Rs. 61.99 Lakh you can be certain of driving from Delhi to Jaipur or Mumbai to Pune easily.
Model Y Long Range is massive, has two electric motors (AWD) driving the car, and has a big battery pack. Total against that is a certified WLTP range of up to 681 km from a full charge.
After you take into account real-world Indian driving conditions (with AC on, music playing and stop-start traffic) you will easily see over 500 km of range, so that virtually eliminates range anxiety for 99 percent of your daily drives and weekend trips.
Also, when you want to charge up, it uses Tesla's 250 KW supercharger network, so if you pull up to an available fast charger you will have approximately an extra 288 km in less than 15 minutes. That is probably going to be enough time to grab a cup of coffee and visit the restroom.
The performance of this SUV doesn't live up to the expectations of it being a Family Hauler. This is still a Tesla!
The Dual Motor All Wheel Drive provides enough power to push you back into your seat when you put your foot down on the accelerator in an empty, safe section of highway; this large 6-passenger SUV will go from 0-100km/h in 5.0 seconds, which is faster than many loud gas guzzling sports cars on the market today.
Tesla has also improved the suspension on the long wheelbase model by adding a customizable suspension with electronic dampers and Soundproof Windows throughout the cabin. Because of these upgrades, the vehicle glides over our rough roads and the cabin is extremely quiet at high speeds!
A Cabin Designed for Tech Enthusiasts
Entering the Model Y L Premium is a lot like entering a spaceship with almost no physical buttons and an emphasis on minimalist design characteristics. The centre console is dominated by the large touch screen located in the centre of the dashboard.
Below is a list of technology features found in the vehicle:
Rear Entertainment Centres: The middle row of the vehicle has an 8-inch touchscreen for passengers to adjust climate control, watch Netflix or play games on YouTube through Tesla Theatre.
Concert Quality Sound: The Model Y L Premium includes a 18-speaker custom sound system with subwoofers to create high-quality, imitative sound using your favourite playlists.
Dual Wireless Charging Stations: Located in the centre console, the charging stations will allow the driver and passenger to charge their devices simultaneously.
Panoramic Glass Roof: The vehicle cabin is enhanced with an extensive use of glass so that the space feels much larger than it really is. Some entries are also covered by a window screen that can diffuse the sun during the summer months in India.
Advanced Climate Control System: A multi-zone climate control system is capable of filtering out many harmful airborne contaminants via a HEPA filtration system. For those of us that live in cities with high levels of outside pollution, this advanced system can make a HUGE difference to improve respiratory issues. It basically filters out the air inside to as healthy as possible.
Safety Above All Else
Your family's safety should always be your top priority. The Model Y has consistently been rated as one of the most safe vehicles in the world and now the L Premium Variant can bring all of that safety to India.
You can expect to find an array of safety features on your Model Y, including multiple airbags, a 360-degree camera system with ultra-high-resolution sensors, blind-spot detection, forward collision warning system, and an automatic emergency brake system. Although you cannot currently use Tesla's famous "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) feature in India due to regulatory restrictions, the Autopilot features will still provide you with excellent lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control for relaxed driving experience while on the highway.
Is a Price Tag of Rs. 61.99 Lakh Justified for the Tesla Model Y P?
Next, let's look at how much money the Tesla Model Y P will cost you. At Rs. 61.99 lakh (ex-showroom), it sits between the original Model Y RWD and Long Range; however, by including the premium EV experience, it offers greater value than these two models.
As many people know, India has some of the highest tariffs in the world for completely built-up (CBU) vehicles, and as such, the original Model Y RWD was considered to be fairly expensive. But with the arrival of the Model Y P variant, this has been turned inside out.
For the same amount as the average mid-sized, luxury German SUV (which almost always provide only 5 seats and use a petrol or diesel engine), you will get:
1. A fully electric vehicle with almost no running costs.
2. Three rows of seating with luxury captain's chairs.
3. The same performance as a sports car (0 to 100 kph in 5 seconds).
4. A range of an incredible 681 km.
5. Some of the best in-car technology and software in the world, with the added benefit of Over-The-Air (OTA) updates to enhance functionality over time.
There is almost no competition for the Tesla Model Y P in the current marketplace because most EVs in this price range are 5-seaters. If you want a luxury European 3-row EV, however, you will need to spend well over Rs. 1 Crore.
