Tesla’s highly anticipated Model Y “Juniper” refresh made a big debut in China. Officially unveiled on January 10, the new version of the electric SUV was able to secure 50,000 orders within 24 hours, according to reports from China.
While not official figures, the data comes from prominent Chinese auto bloggers covering the launch of the new Model Y. One of those bloggers Zhang San Jiao Xing Jian Zhe, reported the 50,000 order count, while Pang Hu Shawn, another influential blogger, confirmed that single stores were seeing over 100 orders each. (via CarNewsChina)
A Tesla store salesperson added further weight to these claims, noting that their location received nearly 300 orders on the launch day alone. Screenshots from a WeChat Tesla salesperson group also showed dozens of screenshots of order screens for the new Model Y.
A post from tonight’s Tesla sales WeChat Moments. pic.twitter.com/DcAjWxvFgd
— xiaoteshushu (@xiaoteshushu) January 10, 2025
According to Tesla, the first deliveries are expected to begin in March, pending regulatory approvals, but according to local salespeople the high demand has caused estimated delivery wait times to stretch into April and May.
Details of the New Model Y
The Tesla Model Y refresh debuted in two trims, the Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) version priced at ¥263,500 (C$51,865/US$35,900) and the Long Range All-Wheel Drive (AWD) version priced at ¥303,500 (C$59,700/US$41,400). Similar to the launch of the new Model 3, the Performance version is currently missing from the lineup, but should reappear in the coming months.
Along with some new exterior design features, like a new front and rear end, the Model Y refresh boasts an updated interior with more high-end finishes and features that should make it feel more like a premium car. Tesla also decided not to go completely stalkless, deciding instead to get rid of the gear stalk, but not the turn signal stalk.
While not visible, there are also updates to one of the most common complaints on the legacy Model Y, the suspension. Tesla also added a new camera to the front bumper, something that was originally on the new Model 3 in press photos, but never made into production.
New Model Y Refresh in North America
In the lead up to the launch of the new Model Y, it was believed Tesla was planning a worldwide launch, however it ended up only being released in China and the Asia-Pacific region. We were surprised it didn’t appear in Canada and the US as well, but it would not be surprising to see that happen very soon.
