Just as the hours counted down for the end of the federal EV tax credit, Tesla decided it was the right time to launch the Performance version of the Model Y AWD. Better late than never, nearly a month later than it did for Europe. What’s truly interesting is the fact the 2026 Tesla Model Y Performance includes a feature that has long been missing here despite many other EV manufacturers offering it for some time: vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-home (V2H) bi-directional charging.

Coming in at $59,130, the 2026 Tesla Model Y Performance is a bit of a bargain without any discounts versus the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N ($67,800) and the Chevrolet Blazer EV SS ($62,095), but it doesn’t quite beat the price of the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT ($56,490). What you do get from the Y Performance is a 0–60-mph time of 3.3 seconds, a top speed of 155 mph, and a range of 306 miles, according to Tesla. This is all thanks to the Performance 4DU drive unit found under the Model 3 Performance that produces 460 hp and maintains a 26.07-kWh/100-miles consumption figure. The power is sent to the ground through a set of new 21-inch Arachnid 2.0 wheels that work with a revised adaptive suspension system tailored just for the Model Y Performance. It also features new springs, anti-roll bars, bushings, and front suspension geometry to make the Performance trim handle better than the standard Model Y AWD. It also retains the ability to tow up to 3,500 pounds with its included towing package and class II tow bar

First Look: This Is the 2026 Tesla Model Y Performance EV SUV for the U.S. Market

Europe was able to enjoy the Model Y Performance a month earlier, but Tesla has finally launched the high-performance EV SUV on its home shores.Justin BannerWriter

ManufacturerPhotographerOct 02, 2025

Just as the hours counted down for the end of the federal EV tax credit, Tesla decided it was the right time to launch the Performance version of the Model Y AWD. Better late than never, nearly a month later than it did for Europe. What’s truly interesting is the fact the 2026 Tesla Model Y Performance includes a feature that has long been missing here despite many other EV manufacturers offering it for some time: vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-home (V2H) bi-directional charging.

Coming in at $59,130, the 2026 Tesla Model Y Performance is a bit of a bargain without any discounts versus the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N ($67,800) and the Chevrolet Blazer EV SS ($62,095), but it doesn’t quite beat the price of the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT ($56,490). What you do get from the Y Performance is a 0–60-mph time of 3.3 seconds, a top speed of 155 mph, and a range of 306 miles, according to Tesla. This is all thanks to the Performance 4DU drive unit found under the Model 3 Performance that produces 460 hp and maintains a 26.07-kWh/100-miles consumption figure. The power is sent to the ground through a set of new 21-inch Arachnid 2.0 wheels that work with a revised adaptive suspension system tailored just for the Model Y Performance. It also features new springs, anti-roll bars, bushings, and front suspension geometry to make the Performance trim handle better than the standard Model Y AWD. It also retains the ability to tow up to 3,500 pounds with its included towing package and class II tow bar.

Looking at power, the Ioniq 5 N offers far more at 641 hp combined with its rear drive unit providing up to 406 hp by itself. That’s enough to propel it to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and besting the Model Y Performance. But that power comes at a range cost, as the Hyundai is only able to drive up to 221 miles on a single full charge. The Blazer EV SS offers 615 hp, with up to 370 hp from just its rear unit, is good for a 3.4-second 0–60 time, and gets a range of up to 303 miles, just losing out to the Y Performance on both counts. Coming with a 480-hp combined power output, the Mustang Mach-E GT hits 60 mph as quick as 3.3 seconds and equals the Tesla, but the Y Performance gets better range, as the Ford is only capable of up to 280 miles.

The 2026 Tesla Model Y Performance is capable of Full Self-Driving (FSD), to which Tesla now adds the “(Supervised)” caveat, but that is an $8,000 addition and brings the total cost to $67,130. While not a totally fair comparison, BlueCruise on the Mach-E GT is a $2,000 one-time purchase and keeps it cheaper by $10,640. The Blazer EV SS comes standard with Super Cruise free for three years, which makes it $5,035 cheaper than the Y Performance with FSD until you need to start paying for an OnStar Super Cruise plan for $39.99 per month (as of this writing). The biggest draw for FSD is that it is capable of driving on nearly any road while Super Cruise and BlueCruise are limited to mapped roadways. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N doesn’t offer any sort of hands-free autonomous driving system but does offer a hands-on assisted adaptive cruise control system with lane change assistance.

Something the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has offered from the start is V2L capability. This allows you to utilize the vehicle’s high-voltage battery to power home appliances when away or when your home’s electricity is out. Now, the Model Y Performance finally offers the same but only when you buy two separate accessories. The first you need is the Tesla Mobile Connector, which costs $300 (it also allows you to plug into any NEMA 5-15 120-volt or NEMA 14-50 240-volt outlets), then you need to buy the $80 Powershare Outlet Adapter that plugs into that. The Outlet Adapter is capable of 2.4 kW of output through two 120-volt, 20-amp NEMA 5-15 outlets.

The Ioniq 5 N, by comparison, only needs a single adapter that can range between $93 for the Lectron V2L version to $270 for the Hyundai V2L offering. There have been V2L adapters for NACS ports prior to the 2026 Y Performance, but those seem sketchy at best. The Blazer EV SS is capable of vehicle V2H rather than V2L charging, but even that wall-mounted bi-directional adapter is $1,999 and requires further installation costs that can vary. The good news is that particular charger can both charge your Blazer EV SS or power your home using its battery.

The question now becomes which one offers the better overall deal. If you’re concerned about your performance electric SUV being able to power more than your car’s wheels out on the road, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N wins thanks to its cheaper V2L capability and more powerful motors. If you must have V2H capability, the Blazer EV SS is your only choice. But for your performance dollars, the 2026 Tesla Model Y Performance is hard to absolutely argue against. You’ll have a rather quick EV SUV and can still get V2L capability for just $59,510 when combined with the price of the Mobile and Powershare adapters. This price is still cheaper than the Ioniq 5 N without the cheaper Lectron V2L adapter.