Foreword:
On January 1, 2021, Tesla Model Y was officially launched in China. This is Tesla’s second pure electric SUV on the market, and it is also a model that everyone has been eagerly anticipating since Model 3. Tesla Model Y has two models, priced at ¥339,900 for the Long Range version and ¥369,900 for the Performance high-performance version. The vehicle is positioned as a pure electric mid-size SUV.
The Long Range version priced at ¥339,900 is definitely the main sales force. It is very close to the Ideal ONE priced at ¥328,000, which is only ¥11,900 more expensive. Whether you are a user in a restricted license plate city or not, these two cars are the focus of everyone’s attention when choosing a car. A pure electric mid-size SUV and an extended-range mid-size SUV, how to choose between the two cars? More than one of my friends has asked me this question, and I believe that many friends online are also struggling with this issue.
Today, I will summarize the purchasing analysis of these two cars for everyone: from the appearance, interior, space, configuration, assisted driving hardware, mechanical aspects, and parameters, combined with the different needs of different users to give purchasing advice. I believe that after reading this article, you will have your own answer in your heart. The main text starts below.
Note: The image materials in this article are from @老司机 APP (Ideal ONE), @懂 车 帝 (Tesla Model Y), @理想汽车 / Tesla’s official website, and some data comes from @汽车之家 and @42号车库.
There is no perfect car in the world, only a car that suits you. A car has one hundred reasons to buy, and one hundred reasons not to buy.
Appearance & Size: The Middle Ground between Sportiness and Mediocrity
In terms of exterior style, the design concept of the two cars has not used too many complex body lines and edges. They both belong to a minimalist style, but you can see the difference at a glance. Ideal ONE belongs to the kind of steady and mediocre middle ground. It’s not outstanding, but it’s not out of the ordinary. Matched with a larger body, it is steady and capable, but not greasy. Tesla Model Y continues the design style of Model 3, and the body contour is more rounded and full, like a “chubby version” of Model 3. The coupe styling of the sloping back is the same type as NIO EC6 / Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe / BMW X4, and more youthful and sporty.
In terms of body size, because Ideal ONE is a mid-to-large SUV with a length of more than 5 meters, it naturally has an advantage over Tesla Model Y, which is a standard mid-size SUV, and it’s somewhat unfair. The difference is not obvious in the pictures due to the focal length of the camera, so it’s more intuitive to look at the parameter table. Here, I also provide the best-selling pure gasoline mid-size SUV at a similar price point, the Audi Q5L, as a reference for everyone.According to the traditional classification of vehicle models:
Mid-size SUV: smaller ones are around 4.7 meters (such as Volkswagen Touareg L / Audi Q5L), larger ones are over 4.8 meters (such as Toyota Highlander / NIO ES6)
Mid-large SUV: most are around 4.9 meters (such as BMW X5 and Volvo XC90), larger ones are over 5 meters (such as LI ONE / Volkswagen Touareg)
Full-size SUV: most are over 5.1 meters (such as Land Rover Range Rover / Mercedes-Benz GLS / BMW X7)
The LI ONE is a larger mid-large SUV, while the Tesla Model Y is a standard mid-size SUV. Strictly speaking, they differ by two vehicle sizes.
In terms of the tail design, both cars’ layering and heaviness are well executed. The LI ONE has a traditional SUV’s square shape and uses a through-type taillight that can further extend visual width (many cars now use through-type taillights, so it doesn’t look too special). The Tesla Model Y’s sloping effect is very prominent and full at the back, but the taillights use traditional separate-type and are relatively conservative.
In terms of tire size, the LI ONE comes with 255/50 R20 standard size and provides three styles for free. The tires are from the Michelin PRIMACY SUV series, and the price in the LI store is 2,499 yuan. The Tesla Model Y comes with 255/45 R19 standard wheel size and uses the Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 SUV tires, which market price is around 1,100 yuan. In addition, Tesla Model Y can also spend an extra 8,000 yuan to choose 255/45 R20 wheels with the Michelin Pilot Sport EV series tires. The price of these tires on the official website is currently undisclosed, but on some platforms, it is around 1,700 yuan. I personally recommend that users who choose the Tesla Model Y should choose the tires, as it is very worthwhile.
Except for the 20-inch wheel size, which needs to be selected, the only free body color of the Tesla Model Y is black, and other colors need to be selected (pearl white, cool silver, deep-sea blue, Chinese red, and four metallic paints). The additional cost for these colors is 8,000 yuan. I suggest that you choose the free black car paint when purchasing a Model Y and apply a film for other colors. The LI ONE provides free body colors: white, silver, gray, black, and blue metallic paint. In addition, Baby Blue color is also available for selection, with an additional cost of 10,000 yuan.## Exterior Summary:
In terms of headlights, both cars are equipped with LED headlights and LED daytime driving lights with automatic headlight and adaptive high beam functions. The LED headlights of the ideal ONE adopt reflective lighting without lenses, but are equipped with the original “star-ring daytime running lights” with impressive lighting and extinguishing effects, which has become a brand logo. The Tesla Model Y and the new Model 3 are equipped with low-beam lenses, which have better illumination performance in low-beam performance and are equipped with front fog lights.
In terms of appearance, the two cars do not use too many lines for decoration, and the overall style is simple. However, due to the different positioning of the models, the two cars present different visual experiences. The ideal ONE is larger in size, higher in positioning level, and looks more robust. The sloping design of the Tesla Model Y is more fashionable, more sporty, and easier to impress young people.
In terms of exterior options, the ideal ONE offers five colors and three styles of wheels for free, with only baby blue requiring an additional fee of 10,000 yuan. In contrast, Tesla Model Y requires an additional fee of 8,000 yuan for all colors except black and 20-inch wheels. Personally, I think the 20-inch wheels are okay, but it feels a bit helpless to have to pay extra for other colors. If you choose other colors and 20-inch wheels, the cost of the car will increase by 16,000 yuan.
Interior & Infotainment: the Dual Standards of Vehicle Interaction
In terms of interior design, both cars follow a simple style like the exterior. I think this is the direction of development in the future. The interior or smart cabin will ultimately return to intelligent interaction and provide a family atmosphere. In this regard, both cars have done a great job. The workmanship and materials used in the interior of the two cars are widely recognized. The biggest difference between the two cars lies in the layout of the screen display. (To be honest, I quite like the wood decoration of Model Y.)
The ideal ONE offers three interior colors: white, brown, and black. Tesla Model Y offers two interior colors: white and black. It is worth emphasizing that the white interior of the ideal ONE is a color similar to ivory white, while the white of Tesla Model Y is pure white.
Both cars’ steering wheels adopt a three-spoke design with a good grip and added chrome decoration strips. In terms of function, both cars have heated steering wheels. But the ideal ONE uses Nappa leather and the steering wheel uses grip sensors. In terms of the driving experience of opening the assisted driving, it is much better than the angle sensor used in the Tesla Model Y. The steering wheel adjustment of Tesla Model Y is electrically adjustable and comes with memory function, which is commendable.On the left of Li Xiang ONE, the “←” and “→” buttons allow users to customize their own functions, including car-mounted WeChat, rear streaming media perspective, hub perspective, and 360° imaging. I personally set the “←” button as the hub perspective and the “→” button as the 360° imaging perspective, which is convenient for quickly switching when parking on the side of the road or maneuvering in narrow roads. However, the Tesla Model Y does not have this feature.
Li Xiang ONE uses a full LCD instrument panel that displays a variety of information. The multifunctional buttons on the left side of the steering wheel, ↑ / ↓, control the display function of the instrument screen, such as energy consumption information, instrument screen navigation, entertainment information, rear window status, tire pressure (including temperature and date). This is quite user-friendly, as you can set the display content based on your preferences.
The central control screen functions are clear at a glance, with entertainment, vehicle settings, navigation, and 360° imaging all provided with simulated buttons. Commonly used features are designed in a card style, and the content displayed can be changed by “swiping up and down” and the order of the cards can be adjusted by “long press” and drag. Navigation can be switched between Gaode Maps and Baidu Maps, which is very user-friendly (the navigation function of the Tesla Model Y is somewhat disappointing). The multimedia entertainment system is equipped with QQ Music, Himalayan, car-mounted WeChat, and a car-mounted KTV, and you can also view the driving recorder video in real time on the central control screen.
The copilot screen is more of an embodiment of lifestyle. The latest feature is that you can sing through the microphone, and it also integrates Bilibili and iQiyi. Unfortunately, the highest resolution supported is only 720P. This copilot entertainment screen has become a must-have for me when traveling with my children and on long trips. I believe that many friends who drive alone with their children will occasionally encounter crying or fussing children, and the copilot entertainment screen can solve this problem with an episode of Peppa Pig.The air conditioning control screen below integrates air conditioning control and commonly used driving modes/energy modes/lighting control functions. The current 2.0 version also integrates quick customizable function keys, among which the highlight is the ability to set a sport mode, which can be customized in display position through long press.
Like the Model 3, Tesla Model Y also uses a 15-inch central control screen. As the only screen in the cockpit, it has its own logic for dividing the functional area. The left 1/3 of the screen mainly displays vehicle information and driving information. The entire right area is various setting sub-menus and function display areas. At the same time, the air conditioning and some commonly used settings buttons are arranged at the bottom, and the operation feels like using an iPad.
In terms of ease of use, I consulted several owners of both the Ideal ONE and Model Y/3 and the response was that the Ideal ONE is easier to get started with and more convenient for daily operations, especially after updating to version 2.0. Although Tesla’s operation time can be adapted to over time, it requires some learning costs.
It is worth mentioning Tesla’s Sentry mode, which can view the surrounding images of the vehicle in real time. When a collision occurs, it can record videos and photos for the first time, which is a small monitoring feature. However, this feature requires some additional power consumption. Although the Ideal ONE does not have this function, after updating to the 2.0 system, users can take real-time pictures of the vehicle’s surroundings at any time, which can be considered as a simplified Sentry mode. I don’t know if similar functions will be updated in the future.
Interior & Infotainment Summary:
There is nothing to complain about in the interior design of the two cars; which one looks better depends on personal preferences. However, although the Tesla Model Y has made significant progress in interior workmanship compared to the Model 3, there is still a certain gap compared to the Ideal ONE, including visible seams and materials used.
In terms of infotainment, both cars have achieved a high level. The infotainment system of the Ideal ONE is easier to use than Tesla’s and the four large screens each have their own duties, which is more in line with the usage habits of the vast majority of consumers, reaching the benchmark level of all car manufacturers. Both cars have similar performance in voice interaction, although Tesla’s voice interaction is more difficult to use compared to the Ideal ONE.
Seats & Space: Small Wizards vs. Big Wizards.Ideal ONE offers two layouts of 6/7 seats, while Tesla Model Y currently only provides the traditional 5-seat layout. The seats of Ideal ONE are covered with NAPPA leather, with a wide and thick design, and a slightly hard sitting feel. Friends who prefer soft seats may feel uncomfortable, but it provides better support for long-distance driving (which I personally prefer). The seats of Tesla Model Y are made of imitation leather, with a slightly sporty design, and a softer sitting feel compared to Ideal ONE.
In terms of functions, the front row of Ideal ONE has heating and ventilation, as well as electric adjustment for the main and co-pilot seats, lumbar support, and a co-pilot boss button. The second row has heating. If it is a 6-seater model, the second-row seats are electrically adjustable independent seats with independent armrests, while the 7-seater model is manually adjustable. Compared to Ideal ONE, Tesla Model Y lacks the co-pilot boss button and front seat ventilation.
The length of the cushions of Ideal ONE throughout the vehicle is very impressive. The length of the front row cushion reaches 520 mm, the second row cushion reaches 510 mm, and the third-row cushion reaches 450 mm. Tesla Model Y’s performance is not ideal, with the front row cushion length of 500 mm and the second-row cushion length of only 440 mm. This performance has not yet reached the level of Ideal ONE’s second/third-row seats.
In terms of legroom and lateral width, Ideal ONE performs better than Tesla Model Y. The first/second-row lateral width of Ideal ONE is 1590 mm and 1560 mm, while Tesla Model Y is only 1480 mm and 1450 mm. In terms of legroom, Ideal ONE is generally one fist distance larger than Tesla Model Y.
In fact, there is a detail that can reveal the differences between the two cars besides the seat parameters. The connection point of the sliding rail under the seat of Ideal ONE is designed at a normal height, which can meet the tall sitting posture of an SUV. However, in order to achieve the high sitting posture of an SUV, Tesla Model Y intentionally increased the height of this part, with a slightly “standing on tiptoe” meaning. So I have always believed that: Model Y is a cross-car model that is elevated after a sedan.
For the front storage space, Ideal ONE has two cup holders and a wireless charging spot in the front row. Tesla Model Y has two wireless charging pads, and there is also a storage compartment with a cover plate in front of the other two cup holders. Thumbs up!
Both cars’ central armrest box has a layered partition design, but the central armrest box of Ideal ONE is larger and deeper. Due to its larger body size, the front door panels and co-pilot glove boxes of Ideal ONE are both larger than those of Tesla Model Y. In addition, the four door handles of Ideal ONE are designed to be sealed at the bottom, and can also store some small items and mobile phones.The rear storage space of both cars differs in terms of cup holders and door pockets. In Ideal ONE, the cup holder is a pop-up design located below the air conditioning control panel in the center console, with each of the two seats in the third row also having a cup holder. In contrast, the Tesla Model Y has a cup holder located in the center armrest of the rear seats.
Both cars have ample digital device charging ports. The Ideal ONE has two Type-A ports in the front center armrest box, two Type-A ports and one Type-C port in the second row, and two Type-C ports in the third row, along with two 12v cigarette lighters. The Tesla Model Y has one Type-A port in the front passenger glove box, and two Type-C charging ports in the second row. Additionally, both cars have a 12v cigarette lighter in the trunk.
In terms of window glass, the Ideal ONE has a silver-plated high-insulation windshield, double-insulated glass in the front side windows, and double-insulated and privacy glass in the rear side windows. The Model Y, on the other hand, has ordinary windshield glass, double-insulated glass in the front side windows, and ordinary glass in the rear side windows. Both cars have frameless side windows.
Both cars have relatively large sunroofs, with the Tesla Model Y’s panoramic sunroof being visually stunning but not able to be opened. The Ideal ONE’s sunroof is also sizable and can be opened, making it more practical.
In terms of the trunk, both cars have power lift gates and memory function. The Ideal ONE also has a “sensing rear trunk” and “automatic lock function” for the tailgate.
The second-row seats in the Ideal ONE 6-seater model are electrically adjustable, and therefore the backrests do not fold down. However, with the third-row seats down (in the standard 4/5-seater configuration), approximately 14-16 20-inch carry-on bags can fit in the trunk. In the 7-seater model, folding down the second-row seats instantly turns it into a cargo van with a flat floor.
Due to its size and sleek design, the Tesla Model Y has less overall trunk space than the Ideal ONE. Folding down the second-row seats also generates a large flat space. Additionally, the Model Y has a hidden storage compartment below the trunk, and a front trunk that can both fit a 20-inch carry-on bag.
Summary of seats & space:## Ideal ONE vs. Tesla Model Y: Seat & Space
Ideal ONE boasts more seats with more features and greater support, although the ride might be slightly harder. Tesla Model Y’s seat performance is inadequate, especially the length of the second-row seat cushion, which is shorter than the third row of Ideal ONE, but it is generally softer. Ideal ONE also offers more spacious seating, with both front and rear rows being generally larger, compared to Tesla Model Y, whose seating performance is mediocre due to the body size.
Ideal ONE’s loading capacity is undoubtedly great, with no minimum or maximum size of objects that can be loaded. Although the backrest of the second row cannot be folded down in the 6-seater model, a lot of things can be put in the second row aisle, and the second row can be folded down in the 7-seater model, which is more convenient for daily use and long-distance travel. Although Tesla Model Y’s absolute loading capacity is lower, it can somewhat make up for the disadvantage caused by its size thanks to the storage compartment under the front trunk and the rear trunk.
To put it in comparison, Ideal ONE is like a large flat, easy to put things anywhere without much thought, suitable for daily use as well as moving large items and long-distance driving, while Tesla Model Y is like a small duplex, needing much consideration due to its pure electric design, but still meeting the requirements of daily use.
The differences in seats and space between the two cars are ultimately due to their level of positioning (body size). Ideal ONE highlights its level/space advantages, while Tesla Model Y is still excellent, but can hardly compete with Ideal ONE.
Assistance Driving & Hardware: Practicality or Sentimentality?
Regarding assistance driving, both cars come standard with L2-assisted driving ability. Tesla officially calls it AutoPilot, while Ideal calls it ADAS, which should be the only new force car company that did not name its own AD driver. Although both are L2-level assistance driving, there are still some differences in hardware between the two cars.
As for actual performance, there is currently no content testing the performance of Tesla Model Y’s assistance driving. However, Model Y and Model 3 have the same hardware specifications and software versions, so here I will insert the @42 Garage’s content review done last year on assistance driving between Ideal ONE and Model 3, which includes their actual scores, for everyone’s reference. If you are interested, I have included a link to the content review at the end of the article.You can see that the Tesla Model 3 is ranked first in the overall score, while the Ideal ONE is ranked sixth. As a veteran, Tesla’s advantage is all-round, relying on hardware superiority and software iteration. Apart from the AEB active braking in the test, there are no shortcomings, especially its ability to keep the lane in bends is the strongest on the ground.
For the Ideal ONE with only a front monocular camera, the actual test performance is only 2 points behind the fourth place, which is quite good. Moreover, in the horizontal evaluation content, the AEB active braking aspect performs the best, which can greatly reduce or even avoid the damage caused by the vehicle’s “ghost probe” behavior.
It is worth emphasizing that the Ideal ONE tested is version 1.1.9. After updating to version 2.0, the driving assistance performance of the Ideal ONE has been greatly improved. “Front car follow-up reminder” and “truck lane change reminder” have been added. In my daily use, the most obvious change is that braking/acceleration is more gentle and natural, and the ability to recognize damaged lane lines and maintain no lane lines has also been slightly improved. The overall performance has made significant progress compared to before. Looking forward to @42号车库 to test the latest version again.
In addition to the free L2 level driving assistance, the Tesla Model Y can also be equipped with EAP (including: AutoPilot, turn signal automatic lane change, high-speed NOA, intelligent summon, automatic parking) and FSD (AutoPilot, EAP, traffic light recognition, high-speed + urban NOA (urban NOA is coming soon), fully autonomous driving (remote)). EAP costs 32,000 yuan, and FSD costs 64,000 yuan.
In @42号车库’s evaluation of NOA (assisted driving according to navigation) (XPeng P7XP3.0 model; NIO ES6 and Tesla Model 3), Tesla only scored 62 points. Specifically, the deduction is that it cannot 100% recognize the entrance of the ramp when entering the ramp, and the sudden deceleration after entering the ramp. For specific evaluation content, friends who are interested can check the link at the end of the article.
Summary of driving assistance:
I have always believed that Tesla’s “high-speed NOA” does not actually improve the consumer’s actual experience, because there is a certain probability of failure when exiting the highway, and once the entry fails, it means that the consumer either forcibly merges (illegal operation), misses the highway exit, or takes manual control a few kilometers in advance when entering the highway again. The “intelligent summon” function is more of a show-off in complex Chinese parking lots with limited scenarios for use. The same goes for automatic parking, which cannot park in narrow spaces (and cannot be left to park automatically) or is unnecessary for spacious areas. The usage scenario and frequency are still very narrow.Therefore, only the practical function of automatic light switching remains. Is it worth spending 32,000 yuan to buy a function that automatically switches lights? Of course not (it’s worth it if it’s free, but not if you have to pay for it). As for the 64,000 yuan FSD, it’s even less worth it, as it only adds an existing recognition of signal lights, and both the urban NOA and fully autonomous driving (which is actually also auxiliary driving) functions are not yet implemented.
As an aside, for most consumers at this stage, high-speed NOA is not a must-have. Because NOA, in addition to hardware and software algorithms, also relies on high-precision maps, and the coverage of high-precision maps is not yet complete in 1/2 line cities, and is even more limited in 3/4 line cities and other regions, so the frequency of use and the relevant scenarios are both narrow. And whether car companies use visual algorithms or millimeter-wave radar, they have their limitations. Therefore, for users who want to achieve a fully functional and higher experience, higher specification hardware (such as LiDAR) is needed to support it. Therefore, users who purchase Tesla models at this stage should just use the free of charge AutoPilot.
Although the Ideal One has some gap with Tesla Model Y as far as hardware is concerned, the overall performance is very close to that of AutoPilot, especially in terms of AEB active braking, which performs very well in actual use.
Mechanical parameters: nothing to say, but different orientations
The Ideal One is a range-extending electric vehicle equipped with a 1.2T range extender, a 40.5 kWh battery pack, and a 45L fuel tank. Its NEDC range is 800 km (pure electric 180 km, fuel 620 km). The Tesla Model Y is a pure electric vehicle with a battery capacity of 77 kWh and an NEDC range of 594 km. The specific parameters are as follows:
The Ideal One has three energy modes (pure electric priority, hybrid mode, fuel priority), three driving modes (comfort mode, sport mode, launch mode), two special road condition modes (wet and slippery road, off-road rescue), and adjustable suspension hardness and softness. The Tesla Model Y has two driving modes (chill mode, standard mode) and two special road condition modes (off-road assist, stuck hill start).
Actually, as far as the powertrain of electric vehicles is concerned, dynamic performance is the least interesting part, because the response of everyone is very good, it’s just a matter of who is faster. The power performance of the Ideal One is good enough, but the Tesla Model Y is faster.
On the Range: It’s not about range, but about convenience of energy replenishmentNEDC range is only a standardized test by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, there will be some differences between the actual use by users. I looked up the actual range test on several platforms, the Tesla Model Y’s actual range is about 410 km under low-speed driving conditions and about 390 km under high-speed driving conditions. At the same time, I consulted several Tesla Model Y owners. Considering that most owners will charge at least 50 km in advance in the urban area and 100 km on the highway, the resident range is about 340 km in the urban area and about 290 km on the highway.
After more than a year of use, the ideal ONE’s actual pure electric range is about 150 km. However, when the pure electric range of the Ideal ONE reaches about 17%, the range extender will be forced to start, so the resident pure electric range is about 130 km. The fuel part has a range of about 500 km. Under high-speed driving conditions, owners will use the fuel mode, and the comprehensive fuel consumption is about 7-9L (Xiao Xiong fuel consumption reports that the latest comprehensive fuel consumption of the IDEAL ONE is 8.5L). This means that the IDEAL ONE has the same fuel supplement convenience as a gasoline car under high-speed driving conditions, and five minutes of refueling can have a range of 500 km.
Summary:
After comparing the above analysis, it can be found that although the Ideal ONE is not much different from the price of the Tesla Model Y, the two have a big difference in positioning.
The Ideal ONE has larger space and seats, but the seat feels harder. The space of Tesla Model Y is relatively smaller and the cushion is shorter, but the seat is softer.
The Ideal ONE has more practical configurations and is more considerate of drivers and passengers, while Tesla Model Y has relatively fewer configurations, but some configurations are more stylish, such as frameless glass.
The Ideal ONE’s car machine is easier to use, and the regional division is more reasonable. Tesla Model Y’s car machine needs to be adapted.
The L2 assisted driving of the Ideal ONE is very useful, but the performance of Tesla Model Y is better, especially the hardware and chip computing power. However, the cost-effectiveness of the EAP and FSD options is not high, and it erases the advantage of chip computing power.
The Ideal ONE has more convenient range extender, 5 minutes of range extender for 500 km, and an additional 50% of the vehicle cost. Tesla Model Y is relatively slow to range extender and there is a Schrödinger’s charging pile problem.
The Ideal ONE is more free and comprehensive, suitable for commuting in urban/suburban areas and long-distance driving. Tesla Model Y is more suitable for urban/suburban commuting.
Both cars have good power and driving performance, but the acceleration of Tesla Model Y is faster.
How to choose?
Purchasing Advice:
Vehicle operating cost is not the core demandIf both cars are equipped with home chargers, there is no difference in operating costs between the Ideal ONE and Tesla Model Y. Because the Ideal ONE always uses pure electric priority mode in urban areas, and the 130-kilometer pure electric endurance is sufficient for daily commuting, even if you drive more than 100 kilometers a day, as long as you charge it at home in the evening, it will be fully charged the next day. At this point, the only difference with the Tesla Model Y is the charging time interval.
However, when it comes to long-distance driving or temporary mileage increase, the Ideal ONE can rely on its fuel consumption level of 7-9 L/100km to obtain a range of about 500 kilometers with just a 5-minute refueling. There is no need to consider battery levels before departure or whether charging stations along the way will be usable or whether there will be long queues.
In contrast, the Tesla Model Y costs at least 1.2 yuan per degree for the national grid’s fast charging during long-distance travel, while Tesla’s supercharger averages around 2.1 yuan per degree (costs may vary by region). Suppose the cost of a full tank of fuel for the Ideal ONE is approximately 286 yuan and the cost of fully charging the Tesla Model Y is approximately 90-140 yuan for the same range (500 km). The difference for one-way driving is only about 140-190 yuan. During this period, the Tesla Model Y needs to be charged at least once, facing a one-hour charging time and the uncertainty of whether the charging station will be usable or there will be long queues.
If there is no home charger, in the worst case scenario, the Ideal ONE will rely on pure gasoline all year round and the Tesla Model Y will need to charge at Tesla’s supercharging stations or third-party charging stations. The cost of using the car is similar to the above long-distance scenario, as the Ideal ONE’s fuel consumption in urban areas is lower than that on highways. Therefore, in terms of operating costs, the difference in annual operating costs between the two cars is approximately 50% of the Ideal ONE’s.
In other words, if the Ideal ONE’s annual fuel cost is 10,000 yuan, the cost of using Tesla Model Y’s external charging (fast/supercharging) is about 5,000 yuan. Although the Ideal ONE spends more money, it allows the driver to retain the freedom to leave at any time and requires less time to refuel as well as having more gas stations available, making it a very cost-effective choice. The Ideal ONE also has a fast charging interface, so if the owner wishes, occasional visits to a fast charging station can still reduce their annual operating costs.### Consider whether it is the only car
This should be considered before whether you have a charging pile or whether you are in a city with license plate restrictions. If you buy a car as the only car for your family, you must reserve the right to drive it whenever you need. Even if you have a charging pile and live in a city with license plate restrictions, you still have to meet all your driving needs, such as road trips (requiring convenient charging), driving home for the Spring Festival (requiring large space for loading), and commuting in the city (requiring low usage cost). If you have children, you also need to meet the needs of the whole family’s travel, and have a large space with full load capacity.
As for license plate restrictions, currently the IDEAL ONE can enjoy green plates policy outside of Beijing. Shanghai will cancel license plate restrictions in 2023, so if you are a user in Shanghai, as long as it is the only car and you have a demand for space, it is even more important to buy the IDEAL ONE before Shanghai cancels PHEV green plate policy.
If it is the second car, you can relax appropriately. However, the selection of IDEAL ONE or Tesla Model Y depends on the level of the car you already own. If you already have a small car (such as a compact sedan or SUV, or even a smaller sedan/SUV), then choose a spacious IDEAL ONE. If you already have a large car, such as a mid-size SUV or even a large sedan, you can choose a Tesla Model Y. Remember, the combination of car models must be complementary.
Of course, if you don’t have high requirements for space, such as being single or just having a boyfriend/girlfriend, or even being married and not intending to have children for a short period of two or three years, you can choose a Tesla Model Y as the only car. If you don’t have a charging pile, just accept the shortcomings of replenishing energy.
Conclusion: Do you have a rough idea in your mind now?Finally finished writing, excluding the text in the image, the pure text has reached more than ten thousand words. I believe that after reading the analysis, you already have a relatively clear understanding of choosing between the ideal ONE and the Tesla Model Y. Although the two cars differ by more than 10,000 yuan (if you include the optional equipment, they may differ by 20,000 yuan), the ideal ONE and Tesla Model Y are completely different types of cars, each corresponding to different user groups with different needs. Choose the one that suits you based on your own needs and current situation. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a message or private message for consultation. In light of the more than ten thousand words, please give it a like, comment, and share.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.