DESPITE petrol most definitely flowing through my veins from a very young age, I must admit that the electric vehicle revolution - against all odds - is something I’m now a fan of.

Whereas before when I started reviewing EVs several years ago - irritated by their lack of passion and the UK’s below-par charging infrastructure - 2026 is a very different proposition thanks to many more high-power chargers and genuinely very good cars.

Sure, Porsche’s Taycan and the Audi E-Tron GT which share underpinnings were always going to be great, but dial down the budget, look at Tesla, and you’ll get much more bang for your buck.

Its Model Y was the brand’s best-selling vehicle in its former guise and now, thanks to its bold new look, it’s set to increase that appeal even more.

It was actually the best-selling car in the world in 2023 and 2024 - not just in the EV sector, I hasten to add, but right across the board - and the new model takes much of its predecessor’s magic and modernises them. The big changes outside are clear to see: a much sleeker, cleaner-looking front end thanks to its wrap-round light bar, lack of badging and a similar rear light which looks absolutely fantastic, it must be said. There’s bold Tesla lettering on the rear, in front of the light bar - it’s a much better looking car than the previous Model Y.

Use the fantastic Tesla app and you can set the climate control and unlock it with a touch of your phone. Open the door and it’s typical Tesla - bright, airy, minimalistic and ultra modern. Unlike the exterior it doesn’t move the game on as much as you’d expect, but given the previous Model Y was pretty faultless, radically changing it seems quite pointless.

There’s still an amount of body roll through the corners but it’s its remarkable turn in that’s quite a shocking thing to behold - I was expecting a cold, dull appliance, not something that can entertain someone as fussy as I am. The thing handles well, and not just in an average way.

However, while the interior remains largely as was, it’s the way it drives which is most definitely the game-changer. It’s night and day different: its damping, its steering and its overall feel is hugely better than before. It feels well-made, but importantly it feels like it’s been made by people who know what they’re doing. It’s also quieter, more refined and feels quality. The chunky steering wheel is small and is great to the touch, while the enormous, car-long panoramic roof is key to its airy feel.

The iPad-style screen is large, concise and very simple to use. Sure, given it controls all of the Model Y’s features - even its mirrors’ positioning and the headlights - you’re advised to spend a bit of time cycling through its menus, but I found it to be intuitive and far from a chore. Handily, if you’re not the most tech-savvy, there’s a search bar that, when selected, brings up a keypad so you can type out things such as ‘lights’ or whatever you need to find.

There’s 384bhp at your disposal but, as is the way with EVs, that feels much punchier because it’s delivered in one big hit - there’s no lag and that power’s there within a millisecond of moving your right foot downwards. It’s good enough for a 4.8-second dash to 60mph in this non-Performance spec.

Tesla’s been way ahead of its competitors in the charging stakes and it was interesting to see that first-hand - the firm’s ‘Supercharger’ network is beyond easy to use and the Tesla app has everything you’d ever need to know about them, from locations to how busy they are at any time of the day.

They’re by far the fastest open-to-all charge points I’ve used, but the claims of going from next to no miles to 80 per cent in half an hour appear to have been plucked from the sky. I’ve no doubt that it’s possible in optimum settings, but there are so many variables to the claim. You’ll need the other charging points to be vacant, especially, and if they’re not, you’ll more likely go from a handful of miles to 80 per cent in about an hour. A range of 373 miles is claimed, but realistically you’re looking at 300 with mixed driving, especially in the sub-zero cold snap we’ve been having. EVs just perform better when the temperature is above 15C.

So, given its predecessor’s huge sales success, how do I think the new one will do? Well, given it’s a much-improved car in every aspect, it’s a sure-fire winner. For £45,000, you’re going to be hard pushed to find such an accomplished, all-round family car and it utterly trounces its rivals.

It’s a brilliant EV and one that’s extended the lengthy gap to its competitors.