Perhaps the biggest EV news in Malaysia this year is the entry of the Tesla brand into the country. And piloting Tesla’s debut in Malaysia is the Tesla Model Y, not because it’s a new car, but because of its starting price of RM199,000 – the price of the base Tesla Model Y RWD. Still sporting trade plates for the time being, we’ve been given the opportunity to test out the base RWD Tesla Model Y.
In Malaysia, the Model Y is offered in three variants – RWD, Long Range AWD, and Premium AWD. It’s about the size of a Mercedes-Benz EQC or a BMW iX3 and it sports a body style that seems to be a mix between a sportback SUV and a minivan. There is a lot of hype around the Tesla Model Y in Malaysia, and being the nosey people that we are, we just had to find out what the hype is all about. Watch our video to discover what the hype is all about.
As its name suggests, the Tesla Model Y is powered by a single electric motor that drives the rear wheels. Its maximum power output and maximum torque are 347 hp and 420 Nm respectively. It does the century sprint in 6.9 seconds onward to a top speed of 217 km/h.
The Tesla Model Y RWD packs a 57.5-kWh capacity battery pack which provides 455 km of range (WLTP). It can be charged at a maximum DC charging rate of 170 kW.
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Of course, the dual-motor versions of the model Y output more power and also house a bigger battery pack. The long-range AWD makes 514 hp and 493 Nm while the Performance AWD makes 534 hp and 660 Nm. They both house the same 75-kWh battery pack which gives 533 km of range in the Long Range variant and 514 km of range in the Performance variant.
There’s a lot to discover in the Tesla Model Y, and with the very brief session that we had with it, our video details you our first look and drive of the car. Stay tuned for our complete video review once we can get our hands on a registered test car.
RELATED: 2023 Tesla Model Y RWD first look & drive – Worth the hype at RM199k?
