Tesla is reportedly preparing to give its long-awaited Model Y Juniper a new twist. According to Reuters, the brand’s division in China is considering manufacturing a new version with a much more spacious interior to address one of the most common complaints in several current markets. Additionally, it shouldn’t take long to see this new version on the roads.
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What’s the main novelty of this updated Model Y Juniper? As the source indicates, this new version, which can be seen as a restyling of the current Model Y, would feature an extra seat, bringing the total to six seats. Although not officially confirmed, it is expected that this additional seating will lead to increased exterior and interior dimensions of the vehicle.
Where will this extra seat be located? This detail has not been leaked yet, but it is expected that it will not be in an additional row of seats. Tesla already offers a 7-seat Model Y in the US, and the source suggests that this design might not be well received by Chinese users.
Therefore, it remains a mystery how Tesla plans to incorporate this sixth seat. There are two main possibilities: adding it to the front area with a solution similar to cargo vans or including another seat in the rear, which would increase the vehicle’s width.
When will this Model Y Juniper be released?
First, it’s important to note that this 6-seat Model Y might not be the same as the Model Y Juniper that has been leaking for some time. It could simply be a facelift that the Chinese market has been requesting from Tesla, and it might be launched as a refreshed version without being directly related to the Juniper project.
That said, leaks suggest that this 6-seater Model Y could be launched in China in early 2025. This timing also aligns with rumors suggesting that the Juniper model could be released around the first quarter of 2025.
So, it’s difficult to determine at this point whether Tesla is considering a sixth seat for the Juniper model or if it’s simply a one-off version designed to cater to the Chinese market. As Reuters points out, China is focusing on making cars more spacious, while the United States is concentrating on improving autonomous driving systems.
Will this 6-seater Tesla come to Europe?
This remains one of the big unknowns. While leaks about the Model Y Juniper mention global availability, the 6-seater version could be a different model designed exclusively for the Chinese market. Europe is not currently demanding cars with more seats; in fact, vehicles with 6 or 7 seats have minimal sales in Europe, which does not encourage major brands to enter this niche. Given this, it’s possible that Tesla plans the Model Y Juniper as a refresh of the current Model Y, with updates to the exterior, additional features, and an overall more attractive design, but without the sixth seat. This version might be intended specifically for the Chinese market, similar to how the 7-seater model is currently offered in the US.