Tesla Model Y Juniper likely not coming until 2025

The background to this is that some customers are delaying their Model Y orders because they are waiting for the updated version. This would not necessarily have consequences for Europe and the rest of the world because Tesla produces the vehicles for North America in North America – in the case of the Model Y in Fremont and Austin. And even with the Model 3 facelift, nicknamed Highland, North America had its turn a few months after the changeover in Giga Shanghai.

The US information on the postponement of the Model Y Juniper is accompanied by information from China that the launch of the revised Model Y is also no longer planned there this year. Reporters from the Chinese financial news agency CLS claim to have learnt this from Tesla China – but there is no confirmation from the company.

In China, Tesla made slight changes to the Model Y built there in November 2023, so the multi-coloured ambient lighting, as introduced in the Model 3 Highland, is now installed there. In addition, the aero caps of the 19-inch Gemini rims have been given a slightly different design.

Price reductions in China and the USA, combined with the Juniper update of the Model Y announced for 2024, had led many consumers to expect that this was a sell-off of the existing model – and that they would be able to order a Model Y updated in the style of the Model 3 Highland in a few weeks or months. The email to the US sales team, which is available to the portal Drive Tesla, is said to state: “It is important that we communicate transparently that there is no refresh for a Model Y coming this year.”

Around a year ago, there were reports that the Model Y Juniper would go into production in October 2024. As part of the model update, not only the design but also the production efficiency of the Model Y was to be adjusted. In other words, the Model Y ‘Juniper’ should be easier and cheaper to build than the current variant. In addition to Fremont, Austin and Shanghai, Tesla is also known to be building the Model Y at Giga Berlin in Grünheide, Brandenburg. As the German factory relies on supplies from China for some components, it would make sense to switch production in both plants to the Model Y Juniper at the same time. However, this has not been confirmed.

twitter.com (North America), carnewschina.com (China)