The Tesla Model Y is one of the most popular cars in the U.S., and by far the most popular EV. Earlier in 2024, the Tesla Model 3 got a relatively substantial refresh with an all-new design and a few new features. Now, the Model Y is getting the same treatment. The Model Y refresh, code-named the Model Y Juniper, has finally been officially announced in China, so we finally have a good look at what it offers in terms of range, performance, and design updates.
Curious about what’s new from the Model Y, and whether it’s actually a substantial upgrade? Here’s everything we know about the Tesla Model Y Juniper.
Design
The design of the Model Y may not be completely different, but there are some pretty substantial updates, both on the exterior and interior.
The most obvious updates concern the design of the headlights and taillights, both of which are now a long light bar, instead of distinctive lights like they were on the previous generation. The light bar on the front of the vehicle is slim and angled and split into three main sections. It’s above a relatively blank face, though with a few air vents for cooling. The design of the front of the vehicle actually brings it much more in line with Tesla’s self-driving Cybercab, which has a similar angled light bar on the front. On the back, the taillights actually look similar to those on the previous-generation Model Y, save for the fact that there’s now a light bar that joins them together.
The vehicle comes in new colors too, including a new glacier blue color, which has been featured in many of the images released so far.
The interior of the vehicle is similar to before, but with a few updates that bring it in line with the Model 3 Highland. Notably, there’s a new dashboard that more seamlessly blends into the door panels, helping make the vehicle look slightly more put together. On top of that, there’s additional accent lighting that makes it more modern and a larger infotainment display that measures 15.4 inches instead of 15 inches like before.
The Model Y now also has a new 8-inch touch display for the rear passengers, allowing them to control their own climate settings and even play games.
Performance
Not all details about the Model Y Juniper have been released just yet, and we don’t yet know exactly what kind of motors the vehicle will pack. Tesla has released data around acceleration times, however. While the base model of the previous-gen Model Y accelerated to 62mph (the equivalent of 100 kilometers per hour) in 6.6 seconds, the Model Y Juniper can do it in 5.9 seconds. The all-wheel drive Model Y Juniper reaches 62 mph in 4.3 seconds, which is pretty quick.
So far, the Model Y Juniper will be available in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants. Tesla hasn’t announced a performance variant of the vehicle yet, but we expect that it will.
The Model Y Juniper will get a little smarter, too — or at least it will try. The vehicle will offer Tesla’s predictive shifting technology that’s in use by other Tesla cars. It’s currently unclear if it will be sold in the U.S. with turn signal stalks or not — some images show international variants with that feature, but that could be due to local regulations.
Range and charging
So far, when it comes to range, we only have numbers as tested by the China Light Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC). Typically, the CLTC is more relaxed than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S., so it’s common for the numbers to be higher. Not only that, but it’s not necessarily a sure thing that the Model Y Juniper sold in the U.S. will come with the same battery size as the one in China.
That said, we can compare the previous generation Model Y sold in China with the new one sold in China. According to the CLTC, the Model Y Juniper comes with 62.5 kilowatt-hour or 78.5kWh battery packs, allowing the vehicle to reach 593 kilometers or 719km, respectively. That’s an improvement of 39 km (24 miles) for the smaller battery option and 31 km (19 miles) for the larger battery option. Hopefully, we’ll see similar range improvements for the Model Y Juniper when it’s sold in the U.S.
Price
Because the Model Y Juniper hasn’t been announced for the U.S. just yet, we don’t know how much it will cost here. Tesla has announced China pricing for the vehicle, but it’s almost a certainty that pricing will be different in the U.S. The Model Y Juniper has been announced in China with a starting price of around $35,935 — but we’re expecting the car to cost more when it launches here. It will likely be much closer to the previous-gen Model Y’s starting price of $44,990.
Conclusions
The Model Y Juniper is a meaningful step forward for the most popular EV in the world. It doesn’t completely reinvent the vehicle, but it does give it some modern updates that help keep it fresh. We’re hoping that once the U.S. version of the Model Y Juniper is announced, it will have some range improvements and perhaps even a lower price than the previous-generation Model Y.
