Electric Vehicles

Model Y solves issue of range drop in cold weather with heat pump

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The Driven

Another interesting feature of the recently released Tesla Model Y electric crossover that could make it more attractive than its  Model 3 stablemate is the news that this is the first Tesla vehicle to use a heat pump.

The Tesla Model Y electric crossover, which starts from $US52,990 ($A88,328 converted) and is rated for 511km driving range by the US-based EPA for its Long Range variant, officially joined the Tesla lineup on Monday (US time).

We’ve seen a number of details highlighted since the manual for the Model Y was published and it appears that the addition of a heat pump could be a game-changer for the Model Y driving range.

In an informative video released by Tesla YouTuber Andy Slye, he explains why the heat pump could help solve the common issue of range anxiety that Tesla owners commonly experience in winter.

“Many people have claimed Teslas are designed with the typical Californian climate in mind, where it is pretty much warm most of the year around,” he says in the video below.

“So for someone like me who lives in the mid-west where it gets below freezing in the winter, driving a Tesla can be somewhat scary because of range anxiety, because you’re worried about running out of battery before reaching your destination.”

To read the full story on RenewEconomy’s electric vehicle dedicated sister site, The Driven, click here…

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

Bridie Schmidt

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

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