The Tesla Model Y is one of the most coveted electric vehicles on the market these days. However, the range estimated by Tesla isn’t always an accurate number. When Edmunds tested out the range of various electric cars, you might be surprised to see what the results were.

What is an electric vehicle range?

Since an electric vehicle does not run on gas, the range for an EV is how far it can go on a single charge. The goal of electric vehicle ranges is important because depending on how far you drive every day, you need a car to make the journey.

Some drivers might only drive 30 miles a day, which means most electric vehicles will be able to keep up. If you have a longer commute, you might have to stop and charge along the way.

Additionally, if you make many road trips, you want to know how far you can get on a single charge. With charging stations popping up all over the place, you should be able to make your adventures in an EV without issue.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets forth estimated mileages for electric vehicles. According to Edmunds, the range is “the approximate number of miles that a vehicle can travel in combined city and highway driving (using a mix of 55% highway and 45% city driving) before needing to be recharged.”

What is the range of the Tesla Model Y?

The Tesla Model Y comes in two varieties, the Performance model and the Long Range. The Long Range variety starts at $45,690 and gets an estimated 326 miles, according to Tesla. This model gets a top speed of 135 miles per hour. It also goes from 0 to 60 in 4.8 seconds.

The Performance model starts at $56,690 and gets an estimated 303 miles. It has a top speed of 155 miles per hour and gets zero to 60 in 3.5 seconds.

When Edmunds tested the ranges in real-world conditions, the results were interesting. While Tesla gave the Model Y Performance a range of 291 miles for the 2020 model, Edmunds found that it got 263 miles. That is a difference of 9.6%.

What Tesla model has the longest range?

The 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range was supposed to get an estimated 353 miles on a full charge. Based on the testing by Edmunds, the Model 3 Long Range went 345 miles. That’s a difference of 2.3%.

The 2020 Tesla Model S Performance got an estimated 326 miles but actually got 318 miles. The 2020 Tesla Model X Long Range was thought to get 328 miles but actually got 294 miles. This was down 10.4%, which is a pretty big difference.

Some of the best-performing options weren’t even Tesla models. The 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric had an estimated 258-mile range but actually got 315 miles. That’s a 21.9% increase over the estimated range!

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E all-wheel-drive extended range model had an estimated 270 miles. Edmunds testing revealed a 304-mile range, up 12.6% from the estimation.