2024 Tesla Model Y updated in China with longer driving range, plans for Australia unclear

The 2024 Tesla Model Y has been updated in China with a longer claimed driving range, quicker acceleration, restyled interior trims and new features – but Australian launch details are yet to be confirmed.

On sale now in China, the changes to the Model Y SUV are not as comprehensive as the exterior and interior updates applied to the related 2024 Model 3 sedan unveiled last month, and due in Australia early next year.

It is expected a more significant ‘facelift’ for the Tesla Model Y is due this time next year – according to overseas reports – with the restyled front and rear fascias, stalk-less steering wheel, and other revisions introduced with the latest Model 3.

MORE: Tesla Model Y facelift due next year with exterior, interior upgrades – report

Prices are unchanged in China despite the updates, and vehicles appear to be entering production imminently, given delivery times of two to six weeks listed on Tesla’s website for new orders.

Australian details are yet to be confirmed, and the previous model remains available on Tesla’s website.

However – given Australian models are built in the same Shanghai factory as Chinese versions – it is likely the updates will make their way here soon.

The Chinese-market update brings quicker acceleration for the Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) – which now claims a zero to 100km/h time of 5.9 seconds, down from 6.9sec – and a 9km longer claimed driving range, now 554km in lenient Chinese testing procedures.

The driving range claim for the all-wheel-drive Long Range has risen by 28km to 688km, with unchanged performance. The Performance all-wheel-drive flagship is unchanged.

Given the modest driving range increases – but significant performance improvement for the RWD – it is possible the upgrades may have been made using a more powerful electric motor for the RWD, and revised battery software, rather than larger battery packs.

In Australia the same three models – RWD, Long Range and Performance – currently claim 455km, 533km and 517km of range respectively in more realistic (but still laboratory-based) WLTP testing.

Exterior changes include a darkened finish for the standard 19-inch ‘Gemini’ wheel caps, and new ‘Model Y’ badging on the tailgate (with a red underline on Performance models, replacing the current ‘Dual Motor’ script).

Inside the Model Y has followed the Model 3 in adding a strip of multi-colour ambient lighting to the dashboard, and introducing grey fabric dashboard trim in place of the faux wood or satin white finishes available previously.

However the interior changes are not as comprehensive as the Model 3. The existing steering wheel remains, joined by stalks for the indicator and gear selector – rather than the sedan’s touch-sensitive indicator buttons on the steering wheel, and gear selector on the touchscreen.

The touchscreen is also the same as before, without the slimmer bezels of the updated Model 3.

The photos released by Tesla suggest there have been no changes to the Model Y’s sensors and cameras, and that Chinese-built models have not graduated to the company’s latest ‘Hardware 4.0’ driver-assistance cameras.

It is unclear if traditional ultrasonic parking sensors have been deleted – and replaced by a camera-based system – as they have been on US models, however they may remain if the driver-assistance cameras have not been updated to the latest specification.

The 2024 Tesla Model Y is available to order now in China. Australian details are yet to be confirmed.

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