2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD: MPG and fuel economy

This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

How the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD compares

The 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD returns 125 combined MPG. Cars in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the same model year average 27.7 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 351%.

Within the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the 2021 model year, the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD is the leader. No other car in the same class beat its 125 MPG rating. The bar chart below shows it alongside the class average and the average new car for some additional context.

For broader context, the average new car of the 2021 model year (across all classes) returns 27.9 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2021 model year is on its own page.

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for electricity, which is $0.15/kilowatt-hour. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPGe and the reference electricity price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. Charging at home rather than at a public DC fast charger usually lowers the real cost below the EPA's published figure.

Year-over-year MPG for the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD

The EPA has rated the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD across 7 model years, from 2020 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD through 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run. The peak rating came with the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 125 MPG.

Compare against other Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD for 2021

If you are cross-shopping the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

Specifications

The 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD is a fully electric vehicle. It is powered by 69 and 201 kw ac 3-phase. The EPA rates its driving range at 326 miles.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD

Transmission

Automatic (A1)

Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Fuel type

Electricity

Electric motor

69 and 201 kW AC 3-Phase

EV range

326 miles

Annual petroleum use

0.1 barrels per year

Common questions about the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD.

• Is the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD fuel efficient?

  Yes. The 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD returns 125 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the same model year by about 351%.
• What MPG does the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD get?

  The EPA rates the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 125 combined MPG, 131 MPG in city driving, and 117 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
• How much does it cost to fuel a 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD per year?

  The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $600 for the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
• Does the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD use gasoline?

  No. The 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD is fully electric and runs on grid electricity. The MPGe figure on this page converts electricity use into a gasoline-equivalent so you can compare it directly to a regular car.
• Has the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD become more fuel efficient over time?

  Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2020 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, 121 MPG) and most recent (2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, 123 MPG) versions sit in the same range.
• How much CO₂ does the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD emit?

  The 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD produces zero tailpipe emissions because it runs entirely on electricity. The full carbon footprint of charging it depends on how the electricity on your local grid is generated, which varies a lot from one state to another.
• What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD?

  City driving returns 131 MPG and highway driving returns 117 MPG. A flat (or city-better) split is the signature of a hybrid or electric drivetrain, where regenerative braking recovers energy that would otherwise be lost in stop-start city traffic.
• What motor does the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD use?

  The 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD uses 69 and 201 kW AC 3-Phase. Electric motors do not have a displacement or cylinder count the way a combustion engine does, so EPA reporting focuses on the motor type and battery system instead.
• What transmission and drivetrain does the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD have?

  The 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD comes with a automatic (a1) transmission and all-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive variants typically read 1 to 3 MPG lower than the front-wheel-drive equivalent of the same engine, since the extra hardware adds weight and parasitic loss.
• Is the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD the most efficient car in its class?

  Yes. Among cars in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the 2021 model year, the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD returns the highest combined MPG at 125 MPG. No other car in the same class beats that figure.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.