Tesla firmware revealed that the Model Y may receive a range boost via an efficiency package in 2021. Resident Tesla hacker @greentheonly found evidence in Tesla’s 2020.44.5 firmware that possibly indicate an increase in the Model Y’s range next year.
“2020.44.15 firmware reveals that Model Y is also getting a new efficiency package MY_2021, higher range incoming?” tweeted Green recently. According to the trusted hacker, Tesla released an efficiency package for the Model 3 already. It could release a similar efficiency package for the Model Y.
The Model 3 and Model Y are expected to share more than 70% of their parts, and some of the crossover’s pieces have made it to the refreshed Model 3. Even before the Model 3 refresh, Tesla started introducing some of the Model Y’s design to its electric sedan.
The Model 3 already adopted the Model Y’s USB-C ports and after the refresh it was also equipped with a heat pump. So it isn’t much of a surprise that Tesla plans to release an efficiency package to the Model Y, like it did for the Model 3.
The Model Y efficiency package would probably compliment the release of the all-electric crossover’s seven-seater variant. In October, Elon Musk revealed that the Fremont Factory would start production on Model Y’s seven-seat version this month. He predicted that initial seven-seater Model Y deliveries could start as early as December, right in time for Christmas and New Year’s.
Tesla already included the seven-seater Model Y variant in its configurator, but it isn’t active at the moment. The seven-seat configuration for the Model Y is available for an additional $3,000.
The Model Y with third row seats would serve larger families better. An increase in range for seven-seater Model Ys would probably be welcomed aswell, especially for long family trips.
In late October, Green also found evidence hinting that Tesla could equip the Model Y with a HEPA filter and Bioweapon Defense Mode. Elon Musk informed a Tesla enthusiast that it would be difficult to retrofit the Model S and Model X’s HEPA filters into the Model 3 last year. However, the Model Y may have ample space for a HEPA Filter.
