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It’s been a little while since we’ve had any news on an updated Tesla Model Y, said to be internally codenamed Project Juniper. In response to reports that the facelifted electric crossover would arrive sometime after the facelifted Model 3 sedan debuted this year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed on his side interest, the social media site once known as Twitter, “No Model Y ‘refresh’ is coming out this year.” That is just about all that has been confirmed, so we have to resort to spy shots and other reports. The latest sightings of a prototype Model Y come from Europe, where a nighttime photography blitz caught a few up-close images of the electric crossover.

Not Model 3 Looks

The easiest rumor to circulate was that the new Model Y would have the same face as the new Model 3. Any why wouldn’t it? The previous 3 shared similar looks front and back with the Y, and the updated 3 has nearly identical taillights to its predecessor. However, although heavily revised, the Model Y will retain a similar identity to its forebear, with a lower L-shaped running light below a C-shaped headlight unit. Naturally, the lines of the bumper will be cleaned up and modernized, but to what extent remains to be seen. In profile, we don’t see any dramatic changes, but we’d have to get closer to be sure about the interior. We’re told, however, that the cabin will get a redesigned center console with wireless charging for two devices.

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The armrest design has also reportedly been improved, and there may be additional storage. Our spies also say that ventilated seats with a new, more ergonomic design, will also be fitted. It’s also safe to assume that Tesla will remove column stalks, replacing them with buttons on the wheel and functions on the screen. Back to the things we can see, the rear of this test mule is wearing thick padding between the taillights, which seems to confirm what our spies tell us – that the taillights will be joined together by an LED bar. We suspect that the lower lights evident here are just placeholders to make the prototype road-legal as we doubt Tesla would fit lights in a place where reflectors would suffice.

Under The Skin Changes Are A Mystery

It feels inevitable that Tesla will give the Model Y a power bump and better batteries that provide greater driving range. At present, the Model Y has between 295 horsepower and 455 hp, but if the Model 3’s hikes (of 14 hp for the base model, 32 hp for the Long Range AWD, and 80 hp for the Performance) are any indication, we expect the updated Model Y to offer between 300 and 600 hp. The grapevine says that the Model Y’s 75 kWh battery will become a 95 kWh unit, and if so, it would translate to a range increase of 25%, from 310 miles on the EPA cycle to around 387.

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It’s also likely that faster charging will be enabled, and the infotainment experience should get faster and more capable, with more touchscreen real estate in both rows adult-sized rows. The Model 3 also received updated dampers with its facelift, so the Y ought to ride more comfortably. New tires, better glass, and maybe even new ambient lighting and Alcantara elements are all within Tesla’s capabilities, so whenever this comes out next year, it should be a refined, polished take on the existing EV.