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© Haymarket Media
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© Haymarket Media
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© Haymarket Media
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©
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©
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© Haymarket Media
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© Haymarket Media
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© Haymarket Media
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© Haymarket Media
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© Haymarket Media
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© Haymarket Media
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©
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© Haymarket Media
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The Tesla Model Y, the world’s best-selling car, will be substantially updated in 2025.
As reported by Move Electric’s sister title Autocar, the electric SUV will launch with a new look, an interior overhaul and substantially improved performance figures.
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Its immense success makes it Tesla’s most important asset and the American EV maker will look to leverage it in an attempt to move out of a prolonged sales dip, during which it has been without a month-on-month deliveries increase since the end of 2023.
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously said the Model Y will not be updated in 2024, with the firm prioritising other product launches.
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However, the first pictures of the updated SUV – codenamed Project Juniper – have been published online, and it will introduce a round of updates aimed at its efficiency.
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Its maximum 331-mile range, for example – seen as a headline attribute at its launch – has now been surpassed by cheaper rivals such as the Skoda Enyaq and Peugeot e-3008.
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Addressing that shortcoming will be a focus of the Model Y’s facelift, as it was for the Model 3, which can now travel up to 8% further on a charge than it did previously, thanks to extensive revisions to its aerodynamics and electronics.
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The Model Y will follow its hatchback sibling in gaining a revised front end, with the headlights and bumper reshaped to cut through the air more efficiently and boost range while also reducing wind noise at a cruise.
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This treatment lowered the Model 3’s drag coefficient from 0.23 to 0.219, making it one of the slipperiest cars on sale. A similar treatment for the SUV could contribute to a range of more than 350 miles in its most efficient form. Another focus of the refresh will be to improve the Model Y’s usability and quality credentials.
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To that end, the Model 3’s redesigned centre console, new upmarket textiles and 8.0in rear touchscreen are expected to be carried over.
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One of the more controversial elements of the Model 3’s facelift was the migration of the indicator controls from a stalk to the steering wheel and it remains to be seen whether Tesla will react to criticism of that by retaining the Model Y’s traditional controls.
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The latest images of the new Model Y suggest it will be differentiated most obviously from the current car by a new rear light bar that is notably different from the C-shaped clusters added to the back of the Model 3.
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Tesla is not expected to make drastic changes to the powertrain and charging system – the Model Y’s 250kW maximum charge speed is still one of its strong suits – but the top-rung Performance version is likely to receive a significant increase in power to take the fight to the new electric Porsche Macan Turbo.
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As an indication, the 453bhp Model 3 Performance cracks 0-62mph in just 3.1sec and achieves a top speed of 163mph. Assuming the Model Y gets close to those figures, it will be one of the fastest crossovers on the market.