Owner's Guide
I've been driving a Model Y for two years. This article documents some tips I've figured out through experience.
I'll cover two main things: range management and charging strategy.
I'm in Northern California. Winters aren't cold, summers aren't hot. Owners in other regions should adjust based on local conditions.
Range Management
The Model Y Long Range is rated at 318 miles. How far it actually goes depends on how you drive.
Driving Settings
"Standard" mode has aggressive acceleration and uses 15%-20% more energy.
One-pedal driving takes a week or two to get used to. Once you adapt, you rarely use the brake.
Above 75 mph, energy consumption increases noticeably.
In my first three months, I didn't pay attention to these. The displayed range and actual range differed by 60 miles. After adjusting, the gap shrank to about 20 miles.
Climate Control
A few approaches:
- Pre-heat or pre-cool with the app before leaving, while the car is still plugged in.
- Seat heaters use less energy than cabin heat. Wear gloves if your hands are cold.
- Setting the AC temperature lower with higher fan speed uses less energy than high temperature with low fan speed.
Tires
The factory tires are low rolling resistance. Switching to regular tires drops range by 5%-8%.
For every 1 psi drop in tire pressure, range drops by about 0.5%. I check once a month and keep it at 42-44 psi.
Charging Strategy
I'll cover daily charging and road trips separately.
I installed a 14-50 outlet at home with a mobile connector. Plug in every night, unplug in the morning.
Charge limit is set to 80%. Keeping the battery between 20%-80% long-term is good for longevity. After two years, my battery degradation is 4%.
Charging is scheduled to start after 11 PM. PG&E electricity rates are half price during that window.
Before departure, set the limit to 100%. Charge to full an hour or two before leaving—don't charge to full and let it sit overnight.
Supercharger Usage
Charging is fastest, can hit 250kW.
Speed drops below 50kW. If you're in a hurry, leave at 70%.
Set your destination in navigation and the car will automatically precondition the battery. You can fast charge immediately upon arrival without waiting.
I've done the LA trip several times, 380 miles one way. One stop at a V3 Supercharger in between, 20 minutes, charge to 75% and keep going.
A Better Route Planner is more useful than the car's built-in navigation. You can set arrival charge level and charging duration preferences for more accurate planning.
Software Updates
Tesla pushes updates frequently. Sometimes range improves, sometimes it gets worse.
I don't rush to install. I wait a few days and check feedback from others on r/TeslaModelY. If there are no issues, I install. A lot of people reported range drops with version 2023.44. I waited until 2023.46 to update.
Maintenance
Replace once a year. Do it yourself—a filter costs 20 bucks, takes 10 minutes.
Don't need replacing. With heavy regenerative braking use, the factory pads can last 100,000 miles.
Every 10,000 miles. Rear tires wear faster than fronts.
Doesn't need maintenance.
Two Years of Ownership
Build quality is average—door gaps are uneven. Seats are on the firm side. The back seat isn't as big as it looks—there's a hump in the middle of the floor. Wind noise near the A-pillar when it rains.
I read about all this in forums before buying.
Charging is handled at home, no gas stations. Maintenance once a year, just change a filter. Quiet to drive. These things are enough for me.
Leave a comment if you have questions.