Entry-level Tesla Model Y and Model 3 axed as EV giant drops its Standards
Just a few months after Tesla introduced the Standard name for its more basic models, it’s been dropped
Tesla has decided to drop the ‘Standard’ branding for the new, cut-price versions of its Model 3 saloon and Model Y mid-size SUV, which only recently went on sale in the UK.
Now the pair are simply referred to as ‘Rear-Wheel Drive’ on the company’s website. But Tesla has decided to keep the ‘Premium’ moniker to help differentiate the pricier variants of the Model 3 and Model Y.
Premium models come with bigger Long Range batteries and the choice of either rear or all-wheel-drive power, plus more equipment, such as an eight-inch rear touchscreen, ambient lighting, full faux-leather upholstery, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. The base versions are also differentiated by passive dampers, whereas Premium models get frequency-selective ones.
Further changes for the Premium versions of the Model Y include different bumpers, light bars across the front and the back, a panoramic glass roof and even a different centre console design.
All versions of the Model 3 and Model Y used to look largely similar and come with the same equipment, but that changed with the arrival of the new entry-level, formerly ‘Standard’ versions, as Tesla decided to strip away kit to make them more affordable.
At least £2,000 was knocked off the Model 3’s starting price with the arrival of the new, more basic version, bringing it down to £37,990. Among its rivals, the BYD Seal is priced from nearly £46k and the BMW i4 starts from over £51k, although right now you can save £15,000 on a brand-new i4 through the Auto Express Buy A Car service.
Meanwhile, the Model Y’s starting price was reduced by about £3,000, so it now starts from £41,990. However, despite the not insignificant price cut, the electric family SUV remains several thousand pounds more expensive than key competitors such as the Renault Scenic, Skoda Enyaq, Kia EV5 and Smart #5.
