AUTOBEST, an independent international jury of motoring journalists, published the results of its 2026 ECOBEST Challenge on 4 November. Its jurors drove 15 new electric cars, each priced below €65,000 before taxes, in real traffic around Quattroruote's Vairano proving ground near Milan from 28 to 30 September. The Tesla Model Y returned the second-best efficiency in the group, behind only the much smaller Renault Twingo.
How the test works
All 15 were production cars, driven in Normal mode with one person aboard and the climate control on, in convoy behind a lead car at 20–25 °C. Drivers swapped cars every 30 km. After the display showed 0% or 0 km, each car kept going on the proving ground until it stopped, and was then recharged at 22 kW AC and 400 kW DC chargers. Bureau Veritas certified the method for the fourth year running. AUTOBEST publishes the measurements without an overall ranking; the positions below are the Model Y's place in each of its tables.
Where the Model Y lands
| Measure | Model Y | Best in the test |
|---|---|---|
| Real range (WLTP) | 466 km (525 km) | BMW iX3: 640 km (737 km) |
| Real range as a share of WLTP | 88.8%, 3rd | Kia EV2: 95.0% |
| km per kWh of net battery | 7.77, 2nd | Renault Twingo: 8.33 |
| km per kWh drawn from the charger | 6.91, 2nd | Renault Twingo: 7.41 |
| Distance after showing empty | 31 km, 2nd | Leapmotor B10: 32 km |
| Time to add 100 km at 400 kW DC (20–80%) | 6 min, 6th | Volvo EX60, BMW iX3, Xpeng P7+, Zeekr 7GT: 4 min |
| Time to add 100 km at a 22 kW AC point | 1 h 20 min, 4th | Kia EV2: 50 min |
| Charging losses | 12.5% | Volvo EX60: 4.7% |
The tested Model Y was listed with a 60 kWh net battery and 175 kW of DC charging capability, and it peaked at 171 kW. The Mercedes CLA, at 7.21 km per kWh, was the only other car above 7. On AC, the three cars that accept 22 kW were quicker, but the Model Y was the fastest of the twelve limited to 11 kW. Its 31 km after empty compares with an average of 16.11 km for the group, and with 1 km for the Xpeng P7+. AUTOBEST advises treating that reserve as an emergency buffer, not usable range.
What it means for buyers
The efficiency result is not a one-off: in September, the Model Y also finished second for efficiency in the Canadian Automobile Association's EV Circuit. Counting charging losses, the Model Y covered 6.91 km for every kWh drawn from the charger, against 6.27 km for the Mercedes CLA and 5.35 km for the BMW iX3.
Range and charging speed are where the newer rivals pull ahead. With much bigger batteries, the iX3 (108.7 kWh net) covered 640 km and the CLA (85 kWh) 613 km, against the Model Y's 466 km. Both also added 100 km faster at the 400 kW charger, the iX3 in 4 minutes and the CLA in 5. That matches ADAC's long-distance ranking, which the CLA and iX3 led while the Model Y Standard placed 12th.
For drivers who mostly charge at home, the Model Y's lower consumption is the number that shows up on the electricity bill. On long motorway trips, the iX3, CLA and Volvo EX60 spend less time at the charger.