The Tesla Model Y facelift, codenamed Juniper is set to debut next month, according to Tesla Newswire citing Chinese sources.

The rumoured debut of the updated model would make its official unveiling months sooner than its previously expected schedule, which estimated its debut to be in the fourth quarter of this year, or around one year after the debut of the Tesla Model 3 ‘Highland’ facelift.

However, the debut of any new vehicle is typically preceded by sightings of said model’s development mules running tests in public, and in the case of models that will be sold in China, document leaks from the patent office. Both have yet to surface at this point in time, which suggests that the Model Y ‘Juniper’ isn’t ready for unveiling just yet.

While a facelift for the Model Y has been anticipated for 2024, Tesla instructed dealers to communicate to customers that there will be no such refresh this year. That photo of what was claimed to be the Model Y ‘Juniper’? A fake, which was doctored from a spyshot of the Model 3 Performance.

In Malaysia, the Model Y was updated for the 2024 model year in Performance form, which brought a raft of changes including added privacy glass, removal of the parcel shelf, updated ‘Hardware 4’ cameras, and double-glazed side windows, while cars in China brought some interior features from the Model 3 ‘Highland’, such as customisable ambient lighting and fabric instead of wood decor.

Figures-wise, the Model Y Performance does the 0-100 km/h sprint in 3.7 seconds, a top speed of 250 km/h and a maximum range of 514 km on the WLTP testing standard. In Malaysia, this is priced at RM289,700 excluding on-the-road registration fees.

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