Even more imagery of the Model Y Juniper has been spotted, this time in Spain rather than the US. These new shots have even more detail than the last ones we saw, so we’re excited to take a peek and see what we can determine.
We’re pretty sure that Juniper will be announced later this month. A new report out of China states that the vehicle will be available before the Chinese New Year, which falls on January 29th this year. Deliveries are expected the following month at the earliest, according to the report.
Front
The front imagery reveals that this isn’t just another Model Y with custom modifications kicking about. These lines are reminiscent of the design concepts we previously showed and fairly different than the current Model Y.
One of the key images here is this zoomed-in shot of the front bumper. You’ll notice there is a slightly offset piece that is being covered up by the bumper cling. Given previous images and what we’ve already heard about Juniper coming with a front bumper camera, this seems to be even more of an indication that Tesla’s refreshed vehicles will all host a bumper camera.
It is by and far one of the most popular features of the Cybertruck, and we see no reason for Tesla not to bring it to its entire vehicle lineup over time.
Side
The side shot is fairly similar to the current Model Y. It features the same updated door design that’s available on the new Model 3. It also appears to have a slightly tweaked side mirror, which isn’t available on the Model 3.
Rear
The rear ends of Teslas are always fairly distinctive, enough that once you’ve seen a few, you can spot the tell-tale taillights from a few blocks away. And the Juniper’s tail will likely also be very unique. This first image, taken at an angle, provides a bit of a peek into the rear side brake lights and what appears to be a white bar over either edge.
However, this second image is the most clear image we’ve ever had of the new rear camera on the Juniper. It is very different from the current Model Y’s camera position - raised up and on the lip of the trunk flare rather than underneath it. It’s much more similar to what we saw on the Robotaxi.
One thing is for certain - Tesla wouldn’t change camera positions without a good reason for it. That requires training an entirely new FSD and Autopark model to account for the updated camera position. This is likely an optimization for both the new style, and to reduce road grime, mud, dust, and water from sticking to the camera.
There is no sign of a rear camera washer, which is a bit of a disappointment, given how easily the cameras tend to get dirty.
Either way, with Juniper being spotted now in Europe, China, and North America, it seems we’re getting very close to an actual release. Tesla has also been emptying their Model Y inventory globally, with very few Model Ys available in inventory at most locations.
What’s interesting about some of these new details is that it appears the Model Y is diverging from the design elements of the Model 3. It appears it’ll include a rear and front light bar, similar to the Cybertruck, different mirrors and potentially different tail lights as well. While we all expect the interior to be similar to the new Model 3, it wouldn’t be surprising if it comes with some unique attributes as well. See our rumor roundup for even more details on the upcoming Model Y redesign.
We’re super excited for the launch of the new Model Y, as it’ll be a refresh to the world’s best-selling vehicle - and that’s not a small feat to upgrade. All imagery is courtesy of the Spanish Outlet motor.es.
