Whether to consider a Model Y for Off-Road and in deeper snow ?

[closdeben]

We have a Model 3 and a CRV. I'd reserved a Y to replace our CRV. A Y would have made more sense for us than the 3 but of course wasn't an option last year and for most driving, we don't need snow and ground clearance but we live in central Oregon and there's plenty of unpredictable weather and rough dirt roads so we use our CRV plenty for those occasions.

I contacted Tesla as the 3rd row optioned vehicles were delayed and perhaps not even available (there are 5 in our family so the 3rd row would be nice but isn't critical). I was surprised though to find out from the salesperson that the Y is only around 1" higher off the ground than our 3 (around 6", our CRV is 7.8" so an extra 30%). It doesn't sufficient to clear rougher dirt roads that make up a lot of our trailheads and forest service roads as well as deeper snow and I don't see an option like the X has to raise the car where and when you need to.

I understand the higher clearance likely reduces range.

 

[jboy210]

Not surprised at all. 99.9% of SUV/CUV size vehicles never see any off road.

The only time they see snow is an inch or less on a recently plowed interstate or few inches in a parking lot or driveway. Trailheads and forest service roads are not even a thought for most SUV/CUV owners. This is why many SUV/CUVs come in 2 wheel drive versions. It is more about interior space, hauling kids and stuff, and upright seating position for aching backs than off-road capability.

But on the upside the Model Y has great performance. No CRV is going to do 0-60 in 4 seconds, unless it is driven over a cliff.

 

[MGCan]

If air suspension becomes an option that might help. If the Y front undertray is anything like it is on the Model 3 I'd suggest lots of caution. There are many accounts of them becoming ripped and damaged. Driving through water can do it, so I suspect snow would too.
Undercarriage Composite Tray Ripped | Tesla

 

[Watts_Up]

- Whether to consider a Model Y for Off-Road and in deeper snow ?

- No​

- Whether to consider the Cybertruck for Off-Road and in deeper snow ?

- Yes​

 

[closdeben]

No doubt the Y is faster. Merging into traffic with our CRV takes some praying and sweating. I may indeed have to wait for future air suspension option though.

And I'd certainly consider the truck and likely will a few years from now when it's available. It'll do just about anything. Until then I can wish for some air suspension on the Y.

 

[iustin]

If air suspension becomes an option that might help. If the Y front undertray is anything like it is on the Model 3 I'd suggest lots of caution. There are many accounts of them becoming ripped and damaged. Driving through water can do it, so I suspect snow would too.
Undercarriage Composite Tray Ripped | Tesla

What… I had the option of installing either aluminium or stell undercarriage protectors on my Subaru. Badly installed, well, felt? That gets damaged by _water_???

Makes me a bit concerned about ordering a Y, if it's only for nice weather driving.

 

[LowlyOilBurner]

I live in southern Erie county in western New York, on a hill that gets pounded with snow. If my old VW TDi Sportwagen (FWD) and Volvo V60 (FWD) could make it around during winter with snowtires on all four corners, I wouldn’t worry too much about an AWD EV.

 

[iustin]

I live in southern Erie county in western New York, on a hill that gets pounded with snow. If my old VW TDi Sportwagen (FWD) and Volvo V60 (FWD) could make it around during winter with snowtires on all four corners, I wouldn’t worry too much about an AWD EV.

It's not about traction on snow. It's about car underbody in snow, if even water damages it. AWD has zero relation here.

 

[feigen66]

Telsa's underbody has solid metal plate to protect battery and pretty much weather proof.

Elon even joked that it could be served as temporary submarine if you dipped it in the water.

 

[GreenMtnM3]

I'm in the same boat, on the other side of the country. We have a 3 and a CRV as well. The 3, like most performance cars today, is low and has a plastic front bumper/spoiler assembly. When driving in very cold conditions, hitting an ice ball or plowed bank in a parking lot is likely to crack the air dam. I've been careful in my 3 and it is still in tact. I cracked the front air dam on my Subaru WRX several times this way. Both cars are great handling cars in the snow. But low clearance and plastic down low in front makes them vulnerable.

I have run the 3 through 8" of fresh snow without problem. The snow was light enough that the front of the car pushed it aside and some went up and over the hood. Blasted through a few 18" high wind drifts. Fun. All was fine until I pulled into our driveway and tried to turn, and the buildup of snow under the car got significant enough that the wheels lost traction. It took 5 minutes of digging snow out from under the car to get it into the garage. No damage, nothing that any other low awd car wouldn't have also struggled with. At some point, there is no substitute for ground clearance.

The real concern is the battery packaging under the car. A front air dam crack is irritating and modestly expensive (its a new front bumper cover at the body shop) but putting a rock or ice ball underneath the car risks denting the battery box, and reports on the model 3 forum are that the cooling lines within the battery enclosure are broken fairly easily when the battery enclosure is dented. As of now, Tesla is not fixing the batteries, they are replacing them, to the tune of $15K. Ouch. So I don't use the 3 if I'm going up a long, rough forest service road. And I am nervous allowing my wife or kids to drive the car if I know they will be using a rough trailhead parking lot or even a dirt road.

An extra inch of ground clearance would be nice. The air suspension available on the S and rumored to be coming on the 3/Y would be ideal. While I hate adding complexity, having the ability to gain ground clearance for the 5% of the time you want it, while keeping the car low and efficient the rest of the time would be ideal for the way we use our small SUV. We will likely replace our CRV in 2021, and the Y is high on our list. Air suspension would make it that much more attractive!

 

[GreenMtnM3]

As for water damaging the underbody, on early model 3's there were reports that the driving through standing water at speed would drive enough water up into the rear bumper cover and bottom valance that they would pop off the back of the car. My understanding it that Tesla redesigned the parts to sheild water more effectively and I have not seen reports of this problem in the past year. There are several threads on the model 3 forum that cover this. I have not heard of any water damage happening at the front end of the car.

 

[iustin]

Telsa's underbody has solid metal plate to protect battery and pretty much weather proof.

Elon even joked that it could be served as temporary submarine if you dipped it in the water.

That might be, I don't know, but how do you explain then the thread linked above and other reports about this flimsy undercarriage?

 

[iustin]

As for water damaging the underbody, on early model 3's there were reports that the driving through standing water at speed would drive enough water up into the rear bumper cover and bottom valance that they would pop off the back of the car. My understanding it that Tesla redesigned the parts to sheild water more effectively and I have not seen reports of this problem in the past year. There are several threads on the model 3 forum that cover this. I have not heard of any water damage happening at the front end of the car.

The most recent report I've seen was here: Ripped Undercarriage Composite from the rain?

To be honest I'm bringing this up because so far it is the first thing that worries me about getting a Tesla (would be my first one), and I'm surprised if they use such materials on the underbody. I would be very happy to hear this is all solved and that the Y will be better from the start…

 

[Uncle Paul]

1" makes a pretty big difference in road cars. Y will not be a rock crawler, but certainly better in this respect than a Model 3.

For trailheads and forest service roads, perhaps the best alternative is a Subaru

The AWD electric drive will give you tremendous control and traction, but for rutted roads and going off the grid, Jeep has the market cornered for that type of use.

If the Model Y were tall enough for rough off road use, it would get less range, worse handling, rougher ride and all the other things that come with a lifted vehicle. Not a good comprimise for the 99%.

Many owners want the great off road capability, but in reality rarely venture off road with the frequency they dream about.

 

[sparcs]

An extra inch of ground clearance would be nice. The air suspension available on the S and rumored to be coming on the 3/Y would be ideal. While I hate adding complexity, having the ability to gain ground clearance for the 5% of the time you want it, while keeping the car low and efficient the rest of the time would be ideal for the way we use our small SUV. We will likely replace our CRV in 2021, and the Y is high on our list. Air suspension would make it that much more attractive!

just a heads up:

Elon Musk on Twitter

This is incorrect. No air suspension planned for 3/Y. Only S/X & Cybertruck have/will have air suspension.

4:02 PM · Feb 10, 2020

 

[PagodaY]

I fall into that category of the 1% (not the financial 1% for sure). I live on a dirt road. This clearance issue is important to me. I'm waiting to see actual numbers before deciding to bail on my reservation

 

[Daniel in SD]

Telsa's underbody has solid metal plate to protect battery and pretty much weather proof.

Unfortunately the coolant connection on the front of the battery is very vulnerable to rocks and a few Model 3 owners have had $14.5k repair bills.
Driving on any road with rocks seems like a bad idea.

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Here are a couple pics looking back into the left and right front wheel wells (in a Model 3, to be clear), with the (fairly thin plastic) protective wheel liner removed.

The coolant lines visible go into and out of the battery AFAIK. If the plastic fittings are broken, it appears to be a $15k fix at the current time.

You would want to be careful if there are any significant rocks flying around, though the wheel liner and the underbody aero shield protect from small incidental debris impacts. Larger objects are going to penetrate or deform those protective shields.

A battery strong enough to withstand collisions with road debris without catching fire may still require immediate replacement when it is damaged by such road debris. It's not the same criteria.

 

[iustin]

Thank you @AlanSubie4Life and @Daniel in SD, these are exactly my worries. Really looking forward to see how the Y looks like - I fear it's the same weak protection.

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Thank you @AlanSubie4Life and @Daniel in SD, these are exactly my worries. Really looking forward to see how the Y looks like - I fear it's the same weak protection.

Once a Y is delivered to someone here, you'll have to have said owner stick a camera above the underbody aero shields and check out the situation. It's not necessary to remove any panels to see what the protection looks like.