Tesla Model Y ‘Juniper’ spotted in the U.S. again, following launch in China

Tesla has officially launched its design-refreshed Model Y “Juniper” for the Chinese market, and as many wonder when the electric vehicle (EV) will launch in North America, another has been spotted driving in California.

As captured in a video from X user Teslaconomics on Sunday, a covered Tesla Model Y “Juniper” was spotted driving in Santa Clara, California, following the company’s official launch of the EV in China on Thursday. In the video, you can see the vehicle’s front and rear bumpers covered with a wrap to hide the newly redesigned headlights and taillights, despite them having gone public with the recent launch.

The sighting comes as the latest U.S. sighting of the new Model Y, and the first since the newly refreshed vehicle went on sale in China. It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to see the EV driving around the Bay Area, especially given Tesla’s engineering headquarters located in Palo Alto and its factory in Fremont, though it does add to speculation as to when the company will launch the vehicle in the U.S.

Some users also noted that it was interesting that Tesla continued to cover the vehicle up, since the design has already been revealed, though it likely would have created pretty substantial buzz if it had been spotted in the U.S. without any covering.

You can see the full video below, as posted by Teslaconomics.

BREAKING: I found the new Tesla Model Y in Silicon Valley, CA! pic.twitter.com/Xsf5DEk5M5

— Teslaconomics (@Teslaconomics) January 12, 2025

READ MORE ON TESLA’S REFRESHED MODEL Y: The Model Y ‘Juniper’ is not stalkless like the Model 3

Other Tesla Model Y ‘Juniper’ sightings in recent weeks

Multiple other covered Model Y vehicles were spotted in the Bay Area in the weeks leading up to the China launch, most recently including a sighting in Hayward, California, just days before the new year began. From the photos and video shared in that sighting, we were able to see the red light bar across the rear that had previously been rumored, along with hints as to the front light bar, both of which have now been revealed.

Credit: suppalatte | X

About a week prior to that, another covered version of the new Tesla Model Y was seen driving in San Mateo, again with the typical covering. In both appearances, the vehicles’ windows were heavily tinted, so we weren’t at the time able to see what the interior looked like. Yet another refreshed Model Y was seen driving in San Jose a little over a week earlier, initially giving viewers the idea that it may include the red light bar.

Others were spotted as far back as August, though they’ve definitely been seen with increasing frequency in the last several weeks.

Credit: zoomich_usa | X

Credit: Y2KColin | X

When will Tesla launch the new Model Y in the U.S. and Canada?

It’s not yet clear when Tesla plans to launch the newly refreshed Model Y “Juniper” in the U.S., Canada or other markets, but the company could follow a similar pattern to its release of the refreshed Model 3 in late 2023 through last year. For that launch, Tesla first debuted the new Model 3—then dubbed the “Highland”— in European and Asian markets in 2023, before launching the redesign in the U.S. last January.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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