Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- 💡 Tesla released an updated Model Y with fresh interior designs and new wheels in China.
- 🌟 Changes to the Model Y’s ambient lighting design can be seen in a leaked video of the cabin.
- 🚗 The updates are specific to the Chinese version of the Model Y and include the omission of the wood panel strip on the dash and the addition of ambient lighting.
- 🌆 The ambient lighting in the Model Y spans from the driver’s side to the passenger’s side on the dash panel, different from the Model 3’s more extensive ambient lighting.
- 🔄 Tesla may consider a full refresh like it did with the Model 3, potentially expanding the ambient lighting feature.
- 📅 Tesla initially considered installing ambient lighting in the Model S and Model X in 2022 but decided against it.
Tesla released an updated Model Y with fresh interior designs and new wheels in China last week, and the changes with ambient lighting can now be seen in a new leaked video that shows the cabin of the all-electric crossover.
In late September, Tesla decided to add a few new features to the Model Y crossover, but these updates would only take place in the Chinese version of the vehicle.
Based on images from Tesla’s Design Studio in China, there were several new features, including the omittance of the wood panel strip that lines the dash and an ambient lighting strip that runs along the new panel.
While rumors of “Project Juniper,” an updated version of the Model Y that was perhaps comparable to what Tesla did with the Model 3 “Highland,” have circulated, this is likely not the “refresh” the automaker has in mind for the crossover.
These are minor changes that help freshen up the vehicle design and can push consumers to buy a new version of the car, helping push sales upward.
The new features are now being shown in a video from China, which shows the paneling and ambient light strips:
The ambient lighting in the Model Y is different than the Model 3+. The Model Y’s ambient lighting strip only spans from the driver’s side to the passenger’s side on the dash panel. Meanwhile, the Model 3’s ambient lighting spans throughout the entire dash and on the door panels, providing much more LED lighting than the Model Y does.
It is definitely a different look, and we could see a more expansive ambient lighting feature in the Model Y “Juniper” if Tesla ultimately decides to go ahead with a full refresh like it did with the Model 3.
We reported yesterday that it seems Tesla planned to install ambient lighting in the Model S and Model X as early as 2022, but the automaker ultimately decided against it.
