2023 Tesla Model Y

Single-Motor Electric

Single-Motor Rear-Wheel Drive Electric

Instant, silent torque from a standstill gives the rear-drive Model 3 and Model Y their signature off-the-line surge, with smooth single-speed power delivery and no gear shifts to interrupt it.

Tesla's rear unit is an interior-permanent-magnet synchronous reluctance (IPM-SynRM) motor, a design Tesla adopted with the Model 3 in 2017, departing from the AC induction motors that defined its earlier Roadster and Model S.

• The motor blends two principles in one rotor: permanent magnets and reluctance torque, so it stays efficient both at city speeds and on the highway.
• Tesla's company name honors Nikola Tesla, whose AC induction motor powered the original Roadster and Model S before the brand pivoted to permanent-magnet designs.
• The single-speed gearbox means there are no gears to shift, so acceleration arrives as one uninterrupted pull.