Tesla Model Y News

Tesla has confirmed a Performance variant of its updated Model Y is coming this year.The news was revealed by Tesla executives Franz Von Halzhausen and Lars Moravy on a recent episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, where Moravy confirmed the Model Y would follow the same release cycle of the updated Model 3, which was released in Australia in late 2023.“We’re starting with the Launch Edition. All the other variants – the Dual-Motor base edition, Rear-Wheel Drive, Performance, seven-seater options – those will come later in the year,” said Moravy.Deliveries of the updated Model 3 commenced in Australia in late December 2023 before deliveries of the Performance version commenced in July 2024. That suggests we're likely to see the Model Y Performance in Australian showrooms before the end of the year, following the Launch Edition's arrival in May.No new details were spilt on the Performance variant aside from some minor upgrades across the rang, such as a retuned suspension, an upgraded audio system, a front-facing camera, new acoustic glass, a UV-resistant roof and a drain plug in the frunk that allows it to be used as a cooler.If the updates handed down to the Model 3 Performance are anything to go by, though, we can expect the Model Y Performance's new drive unit to deliver a circa 22 per cent increase in continuous power, a 32 per cent increase in peak power and a 16 per cent increase in peak torque over its predecessor.That should see power and torque rise by somewhere in the region of 45kW and 102Nm, as was the case with the updated Model 3 Performance, which also benefited from a 0.3 reduction second in its 0-100km/h time.As such, we’d expect total outputs on the new Model Y Performance to jump to north of 450kW/750Nm, with a new 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.4 seconds, down from 3.7 seconds.A seven-seater version of the standard Model Y remains unconfirmed for Australia, however, rumours of a family-sized model going into production have persisted in China – where Australia-bound Tesla’s are built – since last year.It could be on the cards as Tesla looks to increase its appeal in the face of increasing competition in the mid-size SUV segment from Chinese rivals in BYD, Xpeng, Deepal and Geely.Tesla sold 465 units of the Model Y last month, an increase of 21 per cent on the previous year as the outgoing version goes into a run-out sale. The entire brand recorded a 33.2 per cent sales decline, however, offloading just 739 cars for the month.Expect more information on the upcoming Performance and a prospective seven-seat variant to follow the Model Y’s official Australian launch in May.

A new world order is forming in the electric car segment in Australia.Tesla and BYD might not be the mighty forces they once were as two EV princes wait in the wings to snatch the crown.The Tesla Model Y, which was streets ahead of the rest in sales through 2024, has come back to the pack.Tesla sales were down 33 per cent in January, following a more than 16 per cent drop in 2024.It shifted just 465 Model Ys and 274 Model 3s. The Model Y was still the best selling electric car in Australia in January but it was down on its usual performance of more than 1500 a month in 2024.An updated version of the Model Y is due in coming months, but it will be significantly more expensive. The current version will likely be in short supply until that point meaning it could give others a head start in the EV sales race.BYD sales also fell off a cliff in January down almost 50 per cent. Sales of its plug-in hybrid Sealion 6 SUV kept the brand afloat but EV sales were down dramatically with the Atto 3 down 77.4 per cent, Dolphin down 66.8 per cent and Seal down 91.2 per cent.Recent port issues are likely to blame for part of the slow sales, but the brand has also announced new cheaper variants of the Dolphin and Atto 3 to boost sales.Surely it's just a blip on the radar and both brands will roar back in the coming months, but what if they don't reach the same EV heights as before?This could open the opportunity for the Kia EV5 and MG4 electric cars to have a crack at the Model Y’s crown.The MG4 was the second best selling EV in January with 440 sales and the EV5 was third with 289.A big selling point for the MG and Kia are their warranties: MG has a 10 year/250,000km guarantee and Kia has a seven year/unlimited km security blanket. Both easily trump Tesla’s four year/80,000km warranty.Both also sell through a conventional dealer model rather than a majority online portal like BYD and Tesla.Both the MG4 and EV5 are both built in China, same as the Australian delivered Teslas, which give them the same price, supply and short shipping advantage as the market leaders.Australians also now have far more choice in the electric car space compared to 12 months ago. A wave of new brands from China include Deepal, Geely, Leapmotor, XPeng and Zeekr, which all launched with Model Y sized alternatives cheaper than their big name rival.Those brands — with the exception of Leapmotor — don't yet report sales.Conventional car makers have started to bring their own EVs online to help dilute the market that was very concentrated on just a few brands a year ago.The chances are Tesla will rebound in the coming months from its January sales, in what is a traditionally slow month for the brand.Kia is unlikely to muster the 25,000 EV5 sales needed to claim the top spot with the brand predicting a run rate of 400 a month in 2025.MG on the other hand has shown it is willing to heavily discount the MG4 to boost sales.For a short period it was the cheapest electric car on sale during 2024, with the base model costing just a smidge more than $30,000 drive-away. The price cut saw MG4s fly off the lot, outselling both Tesla models combined in October 2024.This year will be a challenge for many of the large electric car sellers as cost of living pressures bite and the well has run dry of early adopters willing to pay overs for the zero-emissions tech.

When Tesla CEO Elon Musk called 2025 the “biggest year in Tesla history” at a recent investors meeting, he was right, though not for the reason of becoming the world’s biggest company as he might think.

Tesla is swinging the sales axe on its outgoing Model Y ahead of the updated model's release in May, offering discounts of up to $8000.Final pricing and stock availability will depend on which state you live in, as well as the additional features you add to your Model Y. Tesla's before on-road costs pricing factors in delivery costs and order fees.As a general rule in each state, though, at least $4000 has been wiped off the entry-level Rear-Wheel Drive’s starting price, $7000 off the mid-spec Long-Range All-Wheel Drive and $8000 off of the top-spec Performance.If you live in Queensland, you can snag the cheapest deal of all at $53,700, before on-road costs, for a Rear-Wheel Drive. That equates to a drive-away price of $55,475.That compares to $55,700, before on-road costs, for the cheapest option in Victoria, which gets a drive-away price of $59,544. It does add larger 20-inch Induction wheels, though.As standard, the Rear-Wheel Drive variant comes with a 60kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery pack that delivers 445km of WLTP-rated driving range and a single rear axle-mounted electric motor that delivers 220kW of power.Stepping up to the Long Range All-Wheel Drive version, this time it's South Australians who get the best deal. SA residents can snag a mid-spec Model Y for $64,300, before on-road costs, with a drive-away price of $68,171.The same car will cost you $69,437 drive-away in Australia’s next cheapest state – Queensland.In return, buyers get 533km of WLTP-rated driving range thanks to a larger 81kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery pack. All-wheel drive is also standard thanks to an additional front axle-mounted electric motor.The range-topping Model Y Performance is in far more limited numbers than the rest of the range, with only Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia showing available stock.A blanket $80,400, before on-road costs, price tag exists across all three states, but the cheapest drive-away pricing is found in Tasmania at $84,673.South Australia is priced at $84,915, while Victoria is the most expensive at $85,287.The Performance carries the same 81kWh NMC battery pack as the Long Range, but delivers an extra 127kW/150Nm for a total output of 413kW/660Nm.Its zero to 100km/h sprint time is clocked at a staggering 3.6 seconds, while its WLTP-rated range drops back to 514km.All Model Ys will be covered by a four-year/limited kilometre warranty, while the battery and drive unit are covered by an eight-year/192,000km warranty.Interested buyers should contact their nearest Tesla dealer quickly as the deal is only scheduled to run while stocks last.The updated Model Y will arrive in Australia in May under a special ‘Launch Edition’ variant.It gets a design refresh, additional technology and comfort features, as well as a steeper price tag of at least $7500 and $3500 over the current Rear-Wheel Drive and Long Range All-Wheel Drive variants, respectively.

The revolution hasn’t been canceled, but it appears to be delayed.

Tesla has revealed its long-awaited updated Model Y electric SUV.

After months of teasers, spy shots and speculation, we now officially know what the updated Tesla Model Y ‘Juniper’ will look like.And could it have leaked anywhere else other than Elon Musk’s X?Spy shots published to the platform by ThinkerCar show the new Model Y testing in heavy snow with all of the new exterior features we expected.Following in the updated Model 3’s footsteps, there’s a squared-off, more aero-focused front end with redesigned LED headlight clusters. Unique to the updated Model Y are two LED light bars on each end of the vehicle.A sportier rear bumper is present as well, along with some freshly designed rims. Based on their apparent smaller size, they appear to be fitted to a standard variant – not the Performance grade.We expect even further changes to be made to the car’s underpinnings, interior and potentially its range, though nothing has been revealed in these spy shots, nor confirmed otherwise.If it follows the Model 3 in part – as we expect – it is likely to include more premium interior materials, better sound insulation, a new steering wheel, new ventilated seats and a rear passenger display, among other upgrades.US-based Forbes has previously speculated a new performance variant could crack the 0-60mp/h (0-98km/h) mark in under three seconds.If true, that would suggest a healthy bump in power from the current model’s 413kW to better rival the Porsche Macan Turbo Electric. Though once again, nothing has been confirmed.Despite remaining the best-selling electric car globally, including in Australia, Tesla sales have begun to taper due to increasing competition from budget Chinese rivals such as BYD, which has quickly emerged as the world’s second best-selling EV brand.In Australia, Model Y sales fell by 26.1 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year from 28,769 sales to 21,253. The brand’s total sales dipped by 16.8 per cent, or from 46,120 sales to 38,347.To counter the downward trend, Tesla is likely to release the Model Y Juniper across global markets, such as the US, China and Europe, imminently, with Australia likely to receive it by the middle of this year.

It’s been another huge year at CarsGuide, especially when it comes to our video content.

According to the Chinese Zodiac 2025 is the ‘Year of the Wood Snake’ but it could prove to be the ‘Year of the Electric Car’ when we look back on it. That’s because electric vehicles (EVs) have a lot to prove in 2025 after surging (pun intended) and now seemingly in need of a recharge (pun also intended).

The electric SUV market has been Tesla’s since the Model Y arrived down under in 2022, with few rivals fit enough to challenge it from a range, price or technological perspective.The competition has finally expanded in 2024, with cut-price Chinese and South Korean rivals gunning for the Model Y’s crown.So, do they have the spec sheets to prove it?We’ve put two of the most compelling Model Y rivals – the Kia EV5 and Xpeng G6 – head-to-head on paper with Australia’s top-selling EV to determine whether Tesla really has anything to worry about.The Model Y is comfortably the leader when it comes to cargo space, offering what the brand claims is an additional 334-litres of additional storage over the Kia EV5 and a further 273-litres over the Xpeng G6.It must be mentioned, however, that Tesla only quotes the space between the boot floor and the Model Y's roof, while most other brands only quote boot space to rear window line.That said, the Model Y is known for its huge cargo capacity, adding an additional 117 litres under the bonnet, besting the Kia EV5 by 50 litres, while the Xpeng G6 is void of a front trunk entirely.The discrepancies in cargo space are quite staggering when you factor in that the Model Y and Xpeng G6 are practically on par when it comes to dimensions, with the G6 actually 2mm longer than the Model Y and 26mm taller.Tesla credits the Model Y's huge expansiveness to the Model Y's electric underpinnings, which positions the electric motor (or motors) closer to the axles, making way for additional cabin space.Cargo space aside, the Model Y's huge width can make it feel a quite daunting to park, particularly when car parks don't always subscribe to the minimum 2.4m width they're required to. For those who prefer a slimmer car, the Kia EV5 is the safest bet.When purchasing an EV, arguably the most important factor (beside cost) is range, and in this key metric the Xpeng G6 Long Range has either of its competitors beaten decisively. It carries an additional 47km over the Model Y and a whopping 70km over the EV5.It has them both on another key metric as well – DC fast-charging time. According to Xpeng's claim for the G6 Long Range, you'll spend 18 fewer minutes at a charging station than you will charging the equivalent EV5, or seven minutes less on the equivalent Model Y. In a world of shortening attention spans and impatient drivers, that will undoubtedly make the G6 more appealing.Achieving that figure, however, is obviously dependent on the charger meeting the max capacity of 280kW, which depends on how closely you live to a fast-charging station, which are unfortunately less common than one would hope. The Model Y might have the G6 in that respect, given it operates its own network of chargers across Australia with 250kW capacity pylons commonplace, the majority of which are exclusive to Tesla vehicles.Despite having the largest battery pack, the Kia EV5 falls short on both of its rivals with a comparatively long charging time at 38 minutes at a maximum capacity of just 141kW.In terms of speed and acceleration, the Model Y is streets ahead of the competition, a less practical metric but one that is undoubtedly appealing for some prospective buyers.Its dazzling 0-100km/h time of 5.0 seconds is followed by the EV5's at 6.1 seconds, which is closely followed by the G6 at 6.2 seconds. The EV5 leads the way with power at 308kW, 32kW more than the Model Y and 108kW more than the G6, while the Model Y has them both covered with torque, giving it a class-leading towing capacity of 1600kg.Since going on sale in the US in 2019, the Model Y is yet to receive a comprehensive facelift, both inside or out.Despite the upgraded 'Juniper' model being earmarked to arrive next year, it's unlikely we will see a comprehensive redesign of the interior, with the combined central driver's display/multimedia display set to remain the standard for 2025 as we saw on the updated Model 3.Tesla purists swear by it, but there are many in the automotive world who are rightly critical of the speedometer being located on the central screen where it exists alongside practically every other vehicle function.Adopting an interior layout that appears to be inspired by the Model Y, Xpeng have gone a step further by installing a 10.2-inch digital driver display, and though the majority of vehicle controls are still commanded through the central infotainment screen, it will no doubt be a more approachable configuration for prospective buyers.It's the Kia EV5 that takes the crown for the most compelling cabin, which is headlined by the integrated panoramic display, a simple, user-friendly display that Kia models have become known for in recent years. On the EV5, that includes twin 12.3-inch touchscreen displays and a smaller 5.0-inch touchscreen for climate controls wedged between.The EV5 – and the G6 – are both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible, with Tesla eschewing the software in favour of its own in-house system.All three vehicles carry wireless charging capability, a panoramic sunroof, synthetic leather upholstery and heated front seats as standard, but only one model – the EV5 – provides the option of a massage function for the driver and an augmented reality head-up display.Additionally, if you opt for the top-spec GT-Line variant, you'll get a storage area in the second row that can cool and heat up food, as well as an eight-speaker Harman/Kardon premium sound system.Tesla's stereo is considered one of the best in the business, though.Dual-zone climate only comes on the EV5 and G6, while only the G6 carries an air purification system.These days, especially for EVs, its all about price. And who can undercut the competition with its low-cost manufacturing capacity more than anyone else? China.Despite all three models being built for the Australian market in China, its the Chinese-owned Xpeng G6 that takes the cake from a price perspective. With a starting price of just $54,800 before on-road cost, its $1100 cheaper than the Tesla Model Y and $1,970 cheaper than the base-model Kia EV5.Prices are at before on-road costsPrice is arguably the most important factor informing a customer's decision to purchase an EV, and when you combine that with a better driving range and charging time than both of its key rivals, the answer of which EV makes the strongest case – the Xpeng G6 – becomes clear cut.Having said that, all three vehicles make a compelling case in terms of value, with very little separating them on price or performance.Regardless of preferences, that signals exciting times ahead for the EV market, particularly when you compare it to how it looked just two years ago when Tesla appeared untouchable.