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Tesla Model Y 'Juniper' Update Set to Elevate the World's Top-Selling EV

Tesla's Model Y 'Juniper' upgrade brings new design and improved features in 2024.

With the revised Model 3 "Highland" currently on the market in several parts of the world, an upgraded Model Y will be released soon. Reuters reported earlier this year that the Model Y would receive a "Juniper" update.

What to Expect From the Tesla Model Y ‘Juniper’ Update?

Motor Trend said on Friday that a Model Y update is not far off in 2024. MT anticipates the following changes for the Model Y, which will mirror those seen in the Model 3 Highland:

  • Front and rear fascias have been replaced
  • Body panels have been modified
  • new wheel designs
  • Color changes
  • improved construction quality
  • Noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) have been reduced, and acoustic glass has been added
  • Suspension geometry, suspension bushings, and rear subframe mount modifications
  • Cabin renovation

Because the Model Y is currently one of the hottest vehicles in the world, the Model Y upgrade should be more significant than the Model 3 Highland update. Earlier this year, the Model Y became the world's best-selling electric vehicle, outselling the Toyota Corolla in the first quarter despite costing nearly twice as much.

According to new Experian data, the Model Y was the best-selling vehicle in the United States for the first nine months of 2023, with the exception of the perennially popular Ford F-150. In the third quarter, the Model Y maintained its lead in the California new vehicle market, outperforming all other EVs and gas-powered vehicles. California is the largest EV market in the United States and one of the world's largest.

Electrek's Vehicle of the Year is the Tesla Model Y

Electrek has chosen the Tesla Model Y as its vehicle of the year for 2023. In general, when selecting a new vehicle of the year, media select vehicles that debuted that year. In addition, there was a slew of excellent new electric vehicles that hit the market in 2023.

However, we believe it is more reasonable to select the electric vehicle that has made the greatest impact this year, and based on that criterion, Model Y is said to be the undisputed victor.

Throughout the year, the Model Y has been not only the best-selling electric car in numerous areas but also the best-selling vehicle in some markets. Last year, the Model Y was the world's fourth best-selling vehicle, after only the Ford F-Series, Toyota Rav4, and Toyota Corolla.

The Model Y had approximately 750,000 units, while the Corolla had 1.1 million. With all of those new records in huge markets, the electric vehicle is on course to outperform the Corolla in 2023, while the Corolla is marginally down.

As a result, the Tesla Model Y should be the best-selling passenger vehicle in the world by 2023. Tesla accomplished this by expanding Model Y production to Gigafactories in Texas and Berlin, in addition to existing facilities in Fremont, California, and Shanghai, China.

On the demand side, Tesla had to drop prices throughout the year to keep orders flowing in amid rising interest rates, but it was able to do so because of its industry-leading gross margin. The feat is even more amazing when you consider that the Model Y starts at exactly double the $22,000 beginning price of the Corolla in the United States.

Tesla's objective has always been to speed the transition to electric vehicles, both directly with its own vehicles and indirectly through industry pressure. The Model Y accomplished both by increasing the number of EVs on the road that are replacing gas mileage and by demonstrating to the rest of the industry that if they want to have the best-selling car right now, it must be electric.

Photo: Charlie Deets/Unsplash

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