Green NCAP Gives the Model Y Five Stars. The Cold-Weather Result Is the One Owners Can Use, Plus Three Cabin Upgrades for the Season
By EV Bandit | Updated November 1, 2026 | 6 min read
At a glance. On October 29, 2026, Green NCAP gave the Berlin-built Tesla Model Y RWD (62.6 kWh) five stars and an overall 93%, with a perfect 10/10 for greenhouse gases and a lifecycle footprint of 95 g CO2-eq. per km. For owners heading into winter, the detail to read is the cold-cabin test: minimal thermal drop 30 minutes after power-down at -7 C.
Key takeaways
- Green NCAP: 5 stars, 93%, 10/10 for greenhouse gases; 10 to 80% DC fast charge in 24 minutes.
- Cold weather: Green NCAP credits an efficient heat pump and a well-insulated cabin for stable interior temperatures after power-down at -7 C.
- The tested car is the Berlin-built RWD. A Model Y built elsewhere, or in another trim, is not the car in the report.
- The accessories below do not change any Green NCAP result. They are for the other half of winter: what the cabin gets exposed to.
Green NCAP, the European sustainability-rating program, has given the Tesla Model Y a five-star rating, and the headline number is 93%. Green NCAP's release, dated October 29, scores the car across manufacturing, operation and end of life, and rates greenhouse gases a perfect 10 out of 10. Its petrol-hybrid comparison, the VW Tayron, got 2½ stars (41%) at 263 g CO2-eq. per km, against the Model Y's 95.
“Tesla is to be applauded for its transparent sharing of the data around the production of the Model Y and its battery.” Dr. Aleksandar Damyanov, Technical Manager, Green NCAP
The sustainability numbers are the story for Europe's regulators. For anyone who owns a Model Y in a cold place, the more useful line is quieter: Drive Tesla's write-up and the Green NCAP release both say the cabin kept its heat.
What the test found, and who said it
| Result | What is reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 5 stars, 93% | Green NCAP; Drive Tesla |
| Greenhouse gases | 10/10; 95 g CO2-eq. per km over the life cycle; vehicle weight 1.9 tonnes | Green NCAP |
| Cold weather | Quick cabin heat-up; efficient heat pump and well-insulated cabin; minimal thermal drop 30 minutes after power-down at -7 C | Green NCAP; Drive Tesla |
| Charging | 10 to 80% DC fast charge in 24 minutes | Green NCAP; Drive Tesla |
| Energy efficiency | Green NCAP calls it “strong” in real-world driving but prints no kWh figure in the release we read. Drive Tesla reports 14.7 kWh/100 km in warm conditions and 21.3 kWh/100 km on the highway, and an efficiency score of 8.9/10 | Drive Tesla (figures not in Green NCAP's release) |
| “Lowest ever” | Drive Tesla calls 95 g the lowest lifecycle footprint Green NCAP has published; the release we read does not say this | Drive Tesla only |
| Limits | No bidirectional charging (V2L/V2G) | Green NCAP |
What the rating does and does not tell you
Two cautions. First, the car in the report is the Berlin-built Model Y RWD with the 62.6 kWh battery, per Green NCAP. A Model Y built at another plant or in another trim may not match it. Second, the only temperature Green NCAP states is the -7 C cabin test; the release gives no ambient conditions for the efficiency or charging runs. So the 24-minute charge and the efficiency figures are not a promise about your garage in January.
It is also a sustainability rating, not a winter-range test. Our earlier look at the Model Y's German sales numbers is a reminder that the car being tested here is the one Europe buys most.
What this means for owners
If your car's heat pump and cabin insulation behave like the tested car's, the cabin you walk back to after an hour will be warmer than you fear. What the test cannot say is what you bring into that cabin: wet boots, snow-melt, a dog, a phone. That part is on you, and it is where the three items below earn their keep. They solve three different jobs, so pick by need rather than buying all three.
1. Waterproof seat covers for the wet-boot months
The listing describes a waterproof cover that catches spills, dirt, sand and sweat, with a non-slip backing and a headrest cover, that pulls out and wipes down. Our suggestion, not the listing's: winter's version of that is melted slush and road salt on a light seat. It is sold one cover at a time, so order two if you want both front seats. Hand-wash it and hang it to dry; the listing says not to put it in the dryer.
2. A dog seat hammock for muddy-paw season
This is a hammock with side flaps, made of oxford fabric with a non-slip surface and seat anchors, per the listing. It goes on with quick-release clips around the headrests and wipes down with a damp cloth. We used it in our Turo cabin-reset how-to for the same reason: it turns a messy cabin into a ten-minute clean-up.
3. A magnetic phone mount whose adhesive is rated for cold
The listing says the adhesive that holds the mount to the back of the screen stays put “even in hot or cold weather,” and the magnets hold the phone “even during hard acceleration.” Those are the seller's claims, not a test. The box includes two plates for non-magnetic cases, spare adhesive and a prying tool. If a cold-soaked screen worries you, press the adhesive on with the cabin already warm.
Frequently asked questions
What rating did the Model Y get?
Five stars and 93% overall from Green NCAP, with 10/10 for greenhouse gases, per Green NCAP's October 29, 2026 release.
What did the cold test show?
Minimal thermal drop in the cabin 30 minutes after power-down at -7 C, which Green NCAP attributes to an efficient heat pump and a well-insulated cabin.
Is this the Model Y sold in the U.S.?
The tested car is the Berlin-built RWD with a 62.6 kWh battery. A car built elsewhere may differ.
Do the accessories change the rating?
No. They are for protecting the cabin and are separate from anything Green NCAP measured.
How does your Model Y hold its heat after a long shift in the cold? Tell us in the Tesla Model Y Owners group, 170,000 members strong.
Sources
- Green NCAP: Tesla Model Y sustainability rating press release (Oct 29, 2026)
- Drive Tesla: Tesla Model Y earns five-star Green NCAP rating with record-low lifecycle emissions (Oct 29, 2026)