Tesla Paywalling Range on the Model Y Is Just the Beginning
New Tesla DLC just dropped.

Turns out your old Model Y has more range than you thought. Tesla is looking at unlocking more range for its standard range rear-wheel drive trim of its Model Y, which is no longer on sale.
In a response on X, Tesla¡¯s CEO Elon Musk explained this older version of the Model Y has more range that can be unlocked for $1,500 to $2,000. You could get anywhere between 40 to 60 extra miles, according to Musk.
On one hand, adding more range is an upgrade that most people wouldn¡¯t mind paying money for. On the other? Shouldn¡¯t you just get what you already paid for?
The discontinued Model Y should have a range closer to between 300 and 320 miles.
Not Actually Standard Range
There¡¯s an argument for the paywall to be seen as a welcome software update from Tesla. In a tangent on X, Musk likened it to self-driving in the future, rather than a locked feature.
From a customer standpoint, however, things look a little different. After all, you¡¯re already driving around in a Model Y with the capability of longer range, so you should get the maximum range it can provide. Right?
It probably won¡¯t be the last time Tesla does something like this. The EV maker previously had a similar setup with its Model S and Model X, since the standard range versions come with the same battery as the Long Range models but have software-locked capacities. Other automakers have been paywalling EV performance too, including Mercedes-Benz and Kia who both require payment for improved acceleration.
The battery is already part of the Model Y, why shouldn¡¯t we get full access to it?
Still Locked
We¡¯re not sure when the older Model Ys will get this update that unlocks its true max range. Musk did post that Tesla is ¡°working through regulatory approvals to enable this,¡± but didn¡¯t specify any sort of timeline.
Looking at the bigger picture for Tesla, the company is going through a rocky patch. Musk recently fired the team behind its Superchargers, which have been a big success. Tesla also had another round of layoffs, marking the third round in just a matter of weeks. The company is deep in a restructuring process that follows less-than-stellar recent financial results, but this Model Y paywall just looks like Tesla trying to squeeze as much juice out of its customers as it can.