The Tesla Model Y is a battery electric compact crossover SUV that Tesla has built since 2020. It is a taller sibling of the Model 3 and has sold more than 2.16 million units, which makes it the best-selling electric vehicle of all time. In 2023 it was the world’s best-selling vehicle of any kind.
Tesla Model Y at a glance
| Maker | Tesla, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Production | since January 2020 |
| Body | compact crossover SUV, usually five seats |
| Based on | Model 3, with about 75 percent shared parts |
| Presented | March 2019 |
| Factories | Fremont, Shanghai, Texas, Berlin-Brandenburg |
| Drive | rear-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive |
| Battery | about 60–81 kWh, LFP or NMC cells |
| Drag coefficient | 0.23 |
| Sales | more than 2.16 million |
History of the Tesla Model Y
From teaser to production
Tesla filed a trademark for “Model Y” in 2013. A silhouette was shown to shareholders in June 2017, and Elon Musk announced the car formally in March 2019, saying it would use standard doors instead of the Model X’s falcon wing doors. Production started at the Fremont factory in January 2020 and Shanghai followed in December 2020. Gigafactory Texas began in late 2021, and Berlin-Brandenburg started delivering cars in March 2022.
The world’s best seller
In 2023 Tesla delivered 1.2 million Model Ys, which made it the best-selling vehicle in the world that year, ahead of the Toyota Corolla and the first electric car to take the title. In 2024 it ranked second, behind the Toyota RAV4. A refreshed Model Y, known internally as Juniper, was revealed in January 2025, and in mid-2025 Tesla added the Model Y L, a long-wheelbase six-seat version.
Changes along the way
Cars built from May 2021 dropped the radar for adaptive cruise control, and from October 2022 Tesla began removing ultrasonic sensors, so driver assistance relies on cameras alone. In the US a third row was optional until the 2025 refresh.
Design and features
- Shape: a fastback crossover with a drag coefficient of 0.23, a full-width tailgate and flush door handles.
- Shared with the Model 3: around three-quarters of its parts, which made production scale up faster.
- Heat pump: the first Tesla to heat the cabin with a heat pump instead of resistance heating, which saves range in the cold.
- Powertrain: a single rear motor, or an added front induction motor that can switch off when not needed.
- Charging: up to 11.5 kW on AC and up to 250 kW at a DC fast charger (225 kW on the Standard trim).
Tesla Model Y versions
- Standard-range cars: lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells.
- Long Range and Performance: nickel-based (NMC) cells.
- Seven-seat US cars: optional third row, offered until the 2025 refresh.
- Model Y L: the long-wheelbase six-seat version introduced in mid-2025.
- Texas-built cars: some used structural packs with 4680 cells.
The Model Y is built on the Model 3, covered in our article Tesla Model 3 (2016). Its larger relative was the Tesla Model X. More Tesla models are in the Tesla collection.
Sources
- Tesla Model Y, English Wikipedia: history, factories, sales, technical details
- Tesla Model Y, German Wikipedia: the 2025 refresh and the Model Y L
