Tesla Surprisingly Launches Updated Model Y In China

On October 1, 2023, Tesla surprisingly updated the Model Y in China, applying changes to the exterior, interior, and a few select specs.

The move is surprising because we are not talking about a major refresh, like in the case of the Model 3 (code name Highland), but a relatively limited update. A much more significant update (previously associated with a code name Juniper) is expected at some point in 2024.

Let's start with the exterior. Tesla introduced a new, black 19-inch wheel design, which replaces the previous silver Gemini ones. We are not sure, but the new wheels potentially might be more aerodynamic, because the CLTC range ratings increased a bit for the 19-inch wheels versions.

In the case of the rear-wheel-drive Model Y, the range is estimated at 344 miles (554 km), five miles (9 km) or almost 1.7 percent more than previously. The dual-motor, all-wheel drive, Long Range version has a CLTC range of 428 miles (688 km), which is about 17 more miles (28 km) or 4.2 percent more than before - that's an increase too high to associate it solely with the wheels. The range rating of the top-of-the-line Performance version remains unchanged.

An interesting thing is that the entry-level Tesla Model Y RWD is also quicker with a 0-62 miles per hour time of 5.9 seconds, compared to 6.9 seconds previously. We don't know what caused a full second (14.5 percent) improvement but it could be the drive unit, battery output, or a software change. Other major specs for the Made-in-China (MIC) Tesla Model Y are the same.

Inside, the Tesla Model Y now is equipped with an RGB ambient light on the dash and a new textile dashboard material (replacing the wood trim). This is a small step in the direction of the Tesla Model 3 Highland but not a full-fledged refresh.

According to reports from China, the new MIC Model Y is also equipped with the Hardware 4.0 (HW4) self-driving computer and brings some other improvements (NVH reduction).

The pricing of the three MIC Tesla Model Y versions in China remains unchanged and starts at $36,788 (263,900 CNY).

Similarly, estimated wait times on the Tesla online configurator indicate the same time of 2-6 weeks (RWD and Performance versions) or 6-8 weeks (Long Range AWD). We guess, that depending on the market feedback, this might change later this month.

Other than that, we don't know whether other Tesla plants in California, Texas, or Germany will also apply similar changes in the near future. The slightly updated Model Y might soon appear in other markets than China via export, and this includes Canada.