5 Things You Should Know About Driving the Tesla Model Y L Premium

It’s nearly impossible to get into any conversation about electrified vehicles without mentioning Tesla. No matter how one feels about its CEO and current world’s richest man Elon Musk, there’s no denying how much Tesla has done to promote EV adoption globally by making their cars high-performance, stylish, and appealing to a broad base of consumers.

In 2025, Tesla moved a total of 1.63 million units worldwide, according to its official year-end delivery report. That was down about 8.6 percent from 1,789 million vehicles in 2024. Of the 2025 total, 1.58 million 5,279 were Model 3/Y vehicles, while about 50,850 were other models (Model S, Model X and Cybertruck).

In the Philippines, Tesla sold 2,424 vehicles in 2025, the first full year of its operations in the country, according to the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI) sales data. Taking into account the total number of EVs sold in the country that year—which is 58,905 according to CAMPI and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA)—that means Tesla cornered about 12 percent of the local EV market. Compare that to just 5.5 percent in 2024, which is a 142.5-percent surge, and we can begin to see just how much Filipinos are beginning to embrace not just Tesla but EVs in general.

And so it was only a matter of time before we at Esquire got our hands on the steering wheel of a Tesla and finally get to see for ourselves what all the fuss is about. Tesla loaned us a model Model Y L Premium, which was launched in the country earlier this year. It’s essentially the long-wheelbase, six-seat version of the brand’s Model Y. Here are five things we think you should know about it:

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Most people’s biggest concern about full EVs is range: just how long can the car last on the road without it running out of charge and possibly getting you stuck a long way off from the nearest charging station. This was my first test with the YL.

The unit arrived in my house with an 88-percent charge, and I told the guy who gave me a quick briefing on the vehicle that I needed to drive it to Clark, Pampanga the very next day. I live in Carmona, Cavite, which means I needed to drive a distance of about 120 kilometers. Is the charge enough to get me there and back?

It turns out, it was more than enough.

By the time I arrived at the Marriott Clark Hotel the next day, the charge was down only to 65 percent. That means, on this particular drive, from Carmona, Cavite, to Clark, Pampanga, the Model YL used 23 percent of its battery over roughly 120 kilometers, suggesting a real-world range of around 520 kilometers under these particular driving conditions. This isn’t too far off from Tesla’s official range for the car, which is at 681 kilometers.

On the way back, I had the car’s battery down to 50 percent by the time I eased into the Shangri-La Plaza mall in Mandaluyong so I could hook it up to the special Tesla charger. After 20 minutes, which is just enough time to grab a quick snack at the mall, the car was charged up to 80 percent, and I could confidently drive it back home to Carmona without worrying about anything else.

After a few days of driving it, I found myself checking the battery level more out of habit rather than concern.

Speaking of charging, the other half of the EV equation is knowing where to charge. Besides the one at Shangri-La Plaza, Tesla already has a Supercharger network elsewhere in and outside the city, including at Uptown Mall, SM Mall of Asia, and at Opus Mall. More standard charging stations are also mushrooming in various other places in malls and traditional gas stations, which means, for those living in Metro Manila, you’re never too far away from a charging station.  

All of these charging locations are in the Tesla app, which they recommend you download if you ever become the lucky owner of a Tesla.

Of course, the most convenient approach is still to charge at home whenever possible and use Superchargers when you're out on a longer trip.

At 4,969 mm long, the Model Y L is considerably larger than the standard Model Y and accommodates up to six passengers across three rows in a 2-2-2 configuration (Tela says the “L” in the name actually stands for Long). The second row has two captain's chairs, while the third row gets power recline and its own vented climate control. That makes the Y L much more useful for larger groups and barkadas than the standard five-seat Model Y.

With the rear seats folded, there's also up to 2,539 liters of cargo space. If you need extra room, getting the YL just makes sense.

First-time Tesla users will need a quick tutorial in order to unlock all its nifty features. This definitely isn’t your dad’s minivan. Most of the vehicle's functions are accessed through the large central touchscreen, while second-row passengers get their own eight-inch display.

The Tesla app is arguably just as useful. From my phone, I was able to lock and unlock the car, check where the vehicle is parked, monitor charging and manage functions such as climate control remotely. I could even summon the car to where I am remotely using just the app on the phone.

There’s definitely going to be a short adjustment period, especially for those used to a conventional dashboard filled with buttons and switches, but after several days, the interface becomes fairly intuitive.

And speaking of being intuitive, this is by far the Model Y L's strongest selling point, especially for first-time EV owners.

After a quick lesson, you’ll feel like a pro in no time. You get in, press on the brake, slide the selector from the middle upwards to drive, and you’re off. Regenerative braking takes some getting used to, as does the absence of the familiar engine noise and gear changes, but the basic experience is pretty straightforward.

The Model Y L also has a number of driver-assistance and safety systems, while its navigation can incorporate charging into longer journeys. Input a destination on the Google Maps on your phone and send it to the Tesla app, and you’re good to go. According to Tesla, its current Philippine model also offers adaptive suspension, acoustic glass, and a 19-speaker audio system.

After about a week, the novelty of driving a Tesla wore off and it felt like I was driving an ordinary car. Very quickly, what I initially thought was unfamiliar became ordinary. The Model Y L Premium has a lot of technology, but its biggest advantage for a first-time EV owner may just be that it doesn't make electric motoring feel complicated.

And this is how the future arrives: slowly and without much fanfare.