Tesla Model Y SUV details revealed

With deliveries of the new Tesla Model Y having officially commenced in the USA, the online owner's manual has been released, confirming the vehicle's size.

Although the new Tesla Model Y is based on the Model 3 and shares around 75 per cent of the mid-size sedan's underpinnings, the new electric SUV is longer, wider and taller than its EV sibling – and comes with a seven-seat option.

Measuring 4750mm in length, the Model Y is one of the longer vehicles in the medium SUV class, bigger than the top-selling Toyota RAV4 (4600mm) and Mazda CX-5 (4550mm).

With a longer wheelbase than those models by around 200mm, at 2890mm, the Tesla Model Y also measures 1920mm wide (not including mirrors), which also means it's wider. But at 1626mm tall, it's lower than the RAV4 (1685mm) and CX-5 (1680mm).

The Tesla Model Y is expected to arrive in Australia from late 2020 or early 2021. Depending on build times and initial demand, pricing is likely to start close to $100,000 in Australia, or around $30,000 more than the Tesla Model 3 sedan.

Tesla ties its Aussie pricing to the US dollar, so as the Australian dollar's value declines in relation to the USD, it will affect local pricing.

Only two model-grades of the smallest Tesla SUV will be offered in the USA, the Model Y Long Range ($US52,990) and the Model Y Performance ($US60,990).

The entry-level 'standard' version of the Model 3 ($US39,990/$A67,900) is not available with the Model Y, meaning entry-level pricing for the SUV will be closer to $100K – at least until a basic model rocks along.

Compared to the Model 3 sedan, the Tesla Model Y SUV will offer more interior space for occupants and their luggage, thanks to a bigger 'frunk' and a larger boot with multiple compartments. There's also the optional seven-seat package.

The Tesla Model Y Long Range variant has a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up, a range of 505km (WLTP), a top speed of 217km/h and a 0-100km/h sprint of 5.1 seconds.

Plump for the Tesla Model Y Performance variant and you'll get a little more fruit and a lot more go – but not as much range, which is down to 480km. Top speed is up to 241km/h while the 0-100km/h dash takes just 3.7 seconds.

Standard features on all Model Y vehicles in Australia will include the 15-inch touch-screen as seen in the Model 3, along with:

As with all Tesla vehicles, over-the-air updates will allow for upgrades to its Autopilot semi-autonomous driving system. This incorporates autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and "Full Self-Driving capability, enabling automatic driving on city streets and highways pending regulatory approval, as well as the ability to come find you anywhere in a parking lot," according to Tesla.

Tesla says it can build around 400,000 Model Y and Model 3 EVs, combined, per annum in the US, with more capacity to come from its new Chinese factory.

The Tesla Model 3 was the best-selling EV in Australia by a significant margin in 2019 and Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk says the new Model Y will be its best-selling model.

Stay tuned for more details as we get them.