Tesla is still six plus months away from launching the refreshed version of the Model Y, but the company is already testing early versions of the updated electric SUV.
We first learned about the Model Y refresh when reports about it emerged early last year. The project, which is referred to internally as Project Juniper, was originally reported to be coming out in 2024, but Tesla has twice come out to debunk those claims, saying the new version of the Model Y will not be launching until some time in 2025.
However, 2025 is now less than six months away, and in the lead up to the debut of the Model Y refresh, Tesla has already started testing early versions of it on public roads.
Over the weekend a black Model Y was spotted near the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, sporting the same front and rear camouflage that the Model 3 refresh was first seen with last year. (via Reddit)
Given this same camouflage hid the exterior changes on the upgraded Model 3, it is a safe bet to expect similar headlight and taillight changes on the upgraded Model Y.
As for interior changes, Reddit user JacklJack didn’t snap a photo, but did get close enough to look inside and see the dash was covered, not giving away any hints as to what might be underneath.
When Will Model Y ‘Project Juniper’ Launch?
As we mentioned, Musk has already come out to say the new Model Y won’t be launching in 2025, and on Sunday he reiterated that, saying that rumours of an impending launch “damages our sales of the current version.”
With that in mind, we first saw the camouflaged Model 3 in December 2022, and the official debut, which first happened in China, came in August 2023, nearly nine months later. If we take the same development timeline for the Model Y, we should not expect to see the new version unveiled until March 2025 at the earliest.
