Tesla begins production of refreshed Model Y at Gigafactory Shanghai

Tesla says it has officially begun production of the newly refreshed Model Y at its Shanghai manufacturing plant.

Tesla took to X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday to announce that it had begun production of the new Model Y at Gigafactory Shanghai, with first deliveries beginning within weeks in China.

The sales of the refreshed Model Y will be closely watched by the industry, following a plunge in Tesla sales numbers around the world in January – a fall some put mainly to buyers holding off for the new model, and others suggesting it is the result of pushback against CEO Elon Musk’s controversial role in the Trump administration

The company’s Chinese website also now lists the revamped Model Y as available for order, with a rear-wheel-drive version starting from RMB 263,500 ($A57,000, converted), and a long-range all-wheel-drive model starting from RMB 303,500 ($A65,800, converted).

Orders have been open since January for the new Model Y on the Australian Tesla site, though the car is pricier than a simple conversion from China’s pricing might have suggested. The rear-wheel-drive variant starts at $69,032 drive away, and $79,452 drive away for the long-range all-wheel-drive variant.

Tesla unveiled the so-called “Juniper” refresh earlier this year, boasting a redesign intended to maximise efficiency, increased performance, a quieter cabin, updated wheel and tire package, and new lighting.

The new Model Y boasts up to 719km (CLTC, 551km WLTP) for the long-range all-wheel-drive first edition, and 593km (CLTC) for the rear-wheel-drive first edition. Ranges vary depending on all the modifications and options available.

And while the exterior facelift has given the Model Y a bit of an upgrade, with a cut-through light cluster design for both the front and tail, the car still looks like someone overinflated a Model 3.