Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD real-world highway efficiency test at 75 and 80 mph
I drove the new Tesla Model Y Premium Long Range RWD on a Romanian motorway at 130 and 120 km/h (about 80 and 75 mph). Result: 211.7 Wh/km (about 341 Wh/mi) on the way out and 204.4 Wh/km (about 329 Wh/mi) on the way back, on winter tires.
I picked up a new Model Y Premium Long Range with rear-wheel drive and took it onto the A1 motorway in western Romania, between Timișoara and Arad, to answer one simple question: how much energy does it really use at highway speed? I drove the same stretch of about 41 km (25 miles) at 130 km/h (around 80 mph) on the way out and at 120 km/h (around 75 mph) on the way back, with my two daughters in the back seat. In short: 211.7 Wh/km at 130 km/h and 204.4 Wh/km at 120 km/h, roughly 21 kWh per 100 km, on winter tires.
The car I tested
The plan was a head-to-head between two very similar versions: the entry Model Y Standard, which I call the "bald" one, and the Model Y Premium, both rear-wheel drive with the big battery. They differ in wheels and tires, aerodynamics and equipment. That morning, though, there was no Model Y Standard available, so this test covers only the Premium.
According to "Tesla Romania", the Model Y Premium Long Range RWD is rated at 603 km (about 375 miles) of WLTP range, with an official consumption of 14.0 kWh/100 km. It does 0–100 km/h in 5.6 seconds, weighs 1,891 kg, rides on 19- or 20-inch wheels and Supercharges at up to 250 kW, with up to 257 km of range added in 15 minutes. Inside there is a 16-inch center screen and an 8-inch screen for rear passengers. Keep in mind that WLTP figures are European and noticeably more optimistic than US EPA ratings.
The car I drove still had winter tires fitted and no Full Self-Driving, only basic Autopilot with traffic-aware cruise control and Autosteer.
How I ran the test
I set the navigation to a destination in Arad, got onto the motorway and only then reset the trip meter. I set cruise control to 130 km/h, but the car capped itself at 129 km/h, just like the Model Y Performance I had driven the day before. The road climbs slightly towards Arad. On the way back I reset the trip again and set cruise to 120 km/h.
Results at 130 km/h (about 80 mph)
After the first 23 km, the screen showed 220 Wh/km. By the time I left the motorway it had dropped to 211.7 Wh/km over 40.9 km, driven in 19 minutes. That works out to about 21 kWh/100 km, or roughly 341 Wh/mi, at a 129–130 km/h cruise, about 50% above the official WLTP figure. That is expected: WLTP includes a lot of low-speed driving, while at 80 mph aerodynamic drag dominates.
Results at 120 km/h (about 75 mph)
In the opposite direction, after 10 minutes and 21.5 km at an average of 120 km/h, consumption stood at 223.9 Wh/km, higher than I expected. It kept falling for the rest of the run, and at the exit I had 204.4 Wh/km over 40.9 km, driven in 20 minutes.
| Speed | Distance | Time | Final consumption |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 km/h / ~80 mph (cruise capped at 129) | 40.9 km / 25.4 mi | 19 min | 211.7 Wh/km (~341 Wh/mi) |
| 120 km/h / ~75 mph | 40.9 km / 25.4 mi | 20 min | 204.4 Wh/km (~329 Wh/mi) |
The gap between the two speeds turned out to be very small, only a few Wh per kilometer. From what I could see, I also had a headwind on the way back, which probably ate most of the benefit of driving slower. My takeaway: in these conditions the RWD Model Y stays at around 20–21 kWh/100 km on the highway, whether you drive at 75 or 80 mph.
What I didn't like: Autosteer drops out when you signal
On the new Model Y, if Autosteer is active and you hit the turn signal to change lanes, the system disengages. You then have to switch it back on and set the speed again, every single time. On a long trip with lots of overtaking, that gets annoying. I believe the new Model 3 behaves the same way. The practical workaround is to use only traffic-aware cruise control, which keeps the distance to the car ahead but no longer steers for you.
Comfort, driving position and regen
The cabin is very quiet, even on winter tires, and the suspension is far more comfortable than on the Model 3. It is soft, but it doesn't wallow; the car stays stable through bends. The seating position is high and, at 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in), I can't see the hood at all, just a thin strip at the bottom of the windshield. I personally prefer low seating and sedans, but as a family car the Model Y is very roomy, rear seats included. The rear screen saved the day when my youngest started losing patience, even if I wouldn't rely on it all the time.
There are two regenerative braking settings: Reduced, where the car slows very gently when you lift off, and Standard, where it brakes hard with almost full regen. On top of that, even in Reduced, a light press on the brake pedal progressively adds regen in the first part of the pedal travel. The Model 3 doesn't work like that.
What it means for drivers
If you are considering a Model Y Long Range RWD for road trips, plan on real highway consumption of roughly 20–21 kWh/100 km (about 330–340 Wh/mi) at 75–80 mph in cool weather on winter tires. That is around 45–50% above the official 14.0 kWh/100 km, so real highway range will be well below the 603 km WLTP rating. The good news is that the difference between 75 and 80 mph was small in my test, so you don't have to crawl to get decent range. Also be aware that Autosteer disengages every time you signal, so on the highway plain adaptive cruise control may be the more relaxed option.
Next: the Model Y Standard on the same route
I later went back with the Model Y Standard on the same stretch between Timișoara and Arad, in the same conditions as the test above, to see how much the wheels, aerodynamics and lighter equipment matter. You can watch it below.
