New Model Y experience

[alexgr]

Here is a brief summary of my experience with our new Model Y on a 3500+ mile trip.
Our Model 3 is 3 year old and we added a Model Y LR 2 weeks ago.
And we went on a trip same week: Tulsa, OK -> Laramie, WY -> Salt Lake City -> Moab -> Georgetown, CO -> Estes Park -> Denver -> Tulsa.
The car's front was covered with Expel TracWrap before the trip for free before the permanent front PPF was done this week.

Experience in no particular order:
- It drives as an SUV, the sitting position is very different from Model 3, it does not go into turns as easy as Model 3 and seems to be feeling wind more.
- It's clearly more of a family car than a driver's car. It's big, the storage space is BIG.
- It is a lot quieter, you barely hear wind or cars around you.
- Charging is easy BUT:
* The chargers are getting busier than before - need more chargers!
* Need MORE 250 kW chargers
* Charging curve quickly goes under 100 kW even on 250 kW chargers
- Wind affects efficiency by A LOT. I had over 400 Wh/mile driving in Kansas against winds. And you need to charge to 80% to drive a 100 miles safely. So, the density of Superchargers need to be doubled eventually.
- Overall efficiency was about 285 Wh/mile, which is really good considering 75-80 mph highway speeds.
- Driving in mountains does NOT take a lot of extra energy. You may spend driving 150 miles through mountains for the entire day, but you don't need to be afraid of a long time travel as the energy spent on heating/cooling is relatively small and you gain range when going downhill, so your day-long trip of 150 miles will likely consume no more than 200 miles of car's range.
- Assembly quality is an okay, better than my 2019 Model 3.
- Paint is, unfortunately, questionable. I've got two down-to-metal chipped spots in unexpected places (top of the driver's door and trunk door). I have no chipped paint at all on my Model 3 after 3 years.
- A roof sunscreen was a very useful purchase, it seems a larger glass roof transmits more heat in Model Y than in Model 3. It maybe not than important for the city and a garage, but you want to cover the roof when sitting in the car charging somewhere in Hays, KS at 110F.
- USB-C ports charge my phone really fast, but you need USB-C to USB-C cables which are less common and more expensive.

 

[Mex1]

I was surprised how much wind really hurts your range, hit some bad wind driving into vegas, we got re-routed to a closer super charger.

I agree that the networks needs more 250s and more stalls, had to wait a few times at some locations, a line of Teslas just waiting for the next spot.

 

[alexgr]

I was surprised how much wind really hurts your range, hit some bad wind driving into vegas, we got re-routed to a closer super charger.

I agree that the networks needs more 250s and more stalls, had to wait a few times at some locations, a line of Teslas just waiting for the next spot.

I was lucky several times on my trip to come to take the last remaining charger. It was much less crowded several years ago. Also, we should remember that if the 150 kW charger is close to capacity, it is actually a 75 kW charger.

 

[GregW]

I keep my roof sunscreen on all time. In the summer especially on road trips the AC has trouble keeping the interior cool, which of course uses more energy. The glass roof is freakin' hot to the touch. And yes, the view is blocked above, but I don't notice it from the front seats, and we rearly have passengers in the back. Plus, driving thru desert type terrain, there is not much to see over-head.