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The Model Y news started this month with the announcement that Tesla would offer one full year of free European Supercharging for anyone who purchases and takes delivery of a Model Y there before December 31, 2024. The thinking behind the move is that the promotion will boost overall 2024 Tesla sales.
Europeans love the Model Y — it’s topped many countries’ vehicle sales charts, as well as the global auto sales chart.
On the latest earnings call in October, Tesla projected continued growth in vehicle deliveries, targeting a record-breaking 515,000 deliveries in Q4 alone. If achieved, this would surpass the previous record of 484,507 deliveries set in Q4 2023 and push Tesla’s total deliveries beyond 1,800,000.
It’s not the first time that Tesla has pulled out the stops to meet or exceed quarterly sales expectations. There have been other years with end-of-year incentives and free Supercharging, discounted demos, friend-to-friend referrals. Right now a 0.99% APR for 60 months on the Model Y in the US seems quite appealing to new EV hunters.
And there’s news on the battery front. The Tesla Model 3 and Model Y rear-wheel-drive variants are being reinvigorated with new battery packs. The current BYD Blade pack is reported to be called the CATL 6M. It should inspire a 6% increase in overall capacity, from 60.1 kWh to 62.5 kWh. At about a 4% increase in energy, the change should bring improved charging performance due to a higher nominal capacity and voltage. Another benefit will be its reduced mass, as the new battery pack is about 44 pounds (20 kg) lighter. These items all contribute to enhanced range and charging, which should translate into better performance.
The launch of the redesigned version of the Model Y has lots of eyes on the Tesla prize. Labeled Project Juniper, the refresh seems to be mirroring updates already front-and-center in the new Model 3. That inference comes from Project Juniper sightings in the US, Europe, and China and points to a focus on front and rear ends. A purported Tesla Model Y Juniper sighting seems to catch a glimpse of the front bumper up close and personal. Despite the camo tarp that covers the Juniper refresh at key areas, an opening at the front bumper can be seen, suggesting a camera placement similar to that of the Cybertruck.
There are also whispers that the Model Y refresh is being redesigned with a bigger third row to make it more dog-friendly. That could enhance the model’s appeal, particularly in China, where the typical SUV is a bit more spacious than the Model Y.
And while we’re looking at Tesla China trends, it’s interesting to note that Tesla saw a surge in Chinese sales in October, with 40,485 vehicles sold and a 1.8% share of the overall auto market. The Tesla Model Y demonstrated solid popularity, coming in as the second best-selling car in the country and making up 89% of Tesla’s sales. The Model 3, though smaller in sales numbers, accounted for the remaining 11%. With Tesla’s 3-million-unit milestone in China passed just a short time later, we can see that China has produced nearly 50% of the Model 3 and Model Y electric cars ever produced.
Then again, as our CleanTechnica editor Zachary Shahan muses, “What happens now if Musk, who is a key part of Trump’s team now, is standing by Trump while he’s trashing China?” Political time moves at a rarefied pace, so we’ll have to wait to see….
Tesla has officially entered the Philippine market with the opening of its first Tesla Experience Center at Uptown Bonifacio in Taguig. Soon Filipinos will be able to customize their car’s exterior, interior, and even some features. The delivery of the first set of Teslas in the Philippines is expected in the second quarter of next year.
As reported by ABS-CBN News out of Manila, Tesla regional director Isabel Fan said the company is happy to be expanding in the Philippines as it pursues the adoption of EVs globally. “Tesla has [a] presence in about 50 countries around the world,” Fan noted. “We pick our preferences. So I pick the Philippines as the next new market in the world.” She added that Tesla has already delivered 7 million units worldwide.
Prices for the vehicles range from P2.1 million to P3.3 million depending on the features. For example, a Model Y rear-wheel drive with a 455 km range and top speed of 217 km/h costs P2.3 million. Kevin Tan, CEO of Alliance Global Group, said the first Tesla Supercharger station will also soon open at Uptown Mall and more are being planned across all Megaworld properties. “They will deploy their charging stations all over our malls and our properties already. They’re looking at our hotels as well, our townships” said Tan, adding that the EV maker will be deploying “quite a number of charging stations.” Tesla confirmed that Supercharging is available at P19/kWh, or a full charge costing only around P1,140.
CarsDirect described this week how a $299-per-month lease deal less than 2 weeks before Black Friday has made the Tesla Model Y Long Range just as affordable as the Model 3 — despite its higher sticker price. The 2025 Tesla Model Y lease pricing fell by $50 per month. With a 36-month lease and $3,993 due at signing, the offer is based on an MSRP of $46,380 and an allowance of 10,000 miles per year.
Previously, the EV was listed at $349, with $4,043 at signing. Factor in the payment and amount at signing, and the Model Y now has an effective cost of $410 per month in comparison to its previous price of $461 — a price cut of $51 per month over little more than a week’s time.
In more Tesla news, yesterday shares of TSLA rose 5.6%, accelerated by reports that the incoming Trump administration plans to push for a federal framework supporting self-driving vehicles. As a NASDAQ article posted yesterday suggests, Trump’s plans for a streamlined federal framework for autonomous vehicles would remove significant hurdles that have hampered Tesla’s rollout of Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology. Musk’s longstanding dream of a fleet of robotaxis, recently demonstrated through the Cybercab concept, could become a reality soon.
With a keen relationship with the incoming president, the Tesla CEO’s push for less stringent regulations for autonomous and electric vehicles might very well come to pass. The Tesla Model Y may benefit, too, in ways that we don’t yet anticipate as a result.
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