Concealed by the most conventional camouflage, familiar to four-wheeled enthusiasts and used by manufacturers to maintain the mystery surrounding a model yet to be unveiled, the new Tesla Model Y may have made its appearance on American roads a few months ahead of schedule, on the occasion of the first road tests.
Reddit user JackIJack spotted the restyled electric SUV - the brainchild of what Elon Musk and co are calling 'Project Juniper' - near the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California, and immortalised the encounter with a photo that was posted on social media.
Inspiration: Tesla Model 3 Highland
World sales champion in 2023 (and not just among electric cars), the Tesla Model Y is indeed getting a facelift, for a planned release in early 2025, whereas the manufacturer's initial plans spoke of late 2024.
Today, however, we may have our first glimpse of the model thanks to an image circulating on the web. The SUV in the shot has covers on the front and rear bumper, but from the lines it looks reminiscent of the Highland update to its Model 3 sibling, which updated its appearance late last summer.
What else we know about the new Tesla Model Y
It's hard to make out anything else in the photo, but previews of the new Model Y speak of various other inspirations for the revamped electric small SUV. Changes to the crossover could involve the wheels, for example, or the door mirrors.
Inside, there's a redesigned console, improved materials and a steering wheel without paddles, replaced by buttons on the steering wheel itself. In terms of performance, the new Model Y will undoubtedly be more powerful than its predecessor and have a greater range (currently ranging from 283 to 373 miles, depending on the version). But Tesla isn't saying any more than that.
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Gallery: New Tesla Model Y (2024) Motor1.com render
Source: Teslarati