2013: Tesla Trademarks "Model Y"
In 2013, Tesla Motors filed to trademark the name "Model Y".
2015: Model Y Teased with Falcon-Wing Doors
In 2015, Elon Musk teased a Model 3-based Model Y with falcon-wing doors.
2017: Model Y Silhouette Teased and New Factory Announced
In 2017, the Model Y's silhouette was teased to Tesla shareholders. Elon Musk also announced that the Model Y would be produced in a new factory.
June 2018: New Silhouette of Model Y Revealed
In June 2018, a new silhouette was revealed by CEO Musk and the announcement date was set for March 2019.
October 2018: Elon Musk Approves Final Design for Model Y
In October 2018, Elon Musk revealed that he has approved the finalized design for the first production version of the Model Y, with production set to begin in 2020.
March 3, 2019: Elon Musk Confirms Model Y Unveiling Event
On March 3, 2019, Elon Musk published multiple tweets, announcing the unveiling event and confirming some specifications including standard doors as opposed to falcon-wing doors.
March 2019: Model Y Formally Announced
In March 2019, the Model Y was formally announced.
March 2019: Tesla Model Y Unveiling
The Tesla Model Y was unveiled to the public in March 2019.
January 2020: Production Begins at Fremont Factory
Production of the Tesla Model Y began at the Fremont Factory in California in January 2020.
June 5, 2020: Online Design Studio Launched in China
On June 5, 2020, Tesla launched the Model Y online design studio for the Chinese market, allowing customers in China to place orders for the upcoming made-in-China Model Y.
July 2020: Initial Cancellation of Standard Range RWD
The Standard Range RWD configuration for the Model Y was initially canceled in July 2020 due to CEO Elon Musk deeming the range (230 mi or 370 km) unacceptably low.
August 2020: Redesign with Single-Piece Casting
In August 2020, it was reported that the Tesla Factory in Fremont would soon activate the world's largest unibody casting machine for Model Y production, switching to casting the rear body in a single piece. Elon Musk stated that the Berlin-made Model Y is a radical redesign with a single-cast design for the rear and front portions of the frame. This new design and production method, using molten aluminum casting, allowed Tesla to combine several manufacturing steps, resulting in significant cost savings.
August 2020: Assembly of Giga Press Begins
In August 2020, Tesla began assembling the world's biggest casting machine, called the Giga Press, supplied by Italian company Idra, for the purpose of single-piece rear body casting in the Model Y.
December 2020: Production Begins at Giga Shanghai
Production of the Tesla Model Y began at Giga Shanghai in December 2020.
December 2020: Production with Single-Piece Casting Begins
Production of the Model Y with single-piece rear casting started in late December 2020. The new process unified 70 different metal parts into two large parts.
2020: Production and First Deliveries of the Tesla Model Y Begin
The Tesla Model Y entered production and began deliveries in 2020.
2020: Production of Model Y to Begin
Production of the Model Y was set to begin in 2020.
January 1, 2021: Sales Begin in China, Q1 Production Sells Out
On January 1, 2021, Tesla started selling the Model Y in China, and it sold out its planned production for Q1 2021 within 6 days.
January 7, 2021: Release of Standard Range RWD
On January 7, 2021, Tesla released the Standard Range RWD configuration for the Model Y, alongside the seven-seat option. This configuration featured 244 miles (393 km) of EPA-estimated range.
January 18, 2021: First Delivery in China
The first delivery of the made-in-China Tesla Model Y was made on January 18, 2021.
February 2021: Reports of Long Range RWD Discontinuation
Reports emerged in February 2021 suggesting that Tesla would discontinue the Long Range RWD configuration of the Model Y in the U.S.
February 2021: Orders for Standard Range RWD Halted
Tesla stopped taking orders for the Standard Range RWD variant of the Model Y in February 2021, making it the shortest-lived configuration offered.
December 6, 2021: Long Range RWD Discontinued
On December 6, 2021, Tesla formally notified customers who had pre-ordered the Long Range RWD Model Y that the configuration was no longer available in the U.S. This configuration was reportedly never delivered in the U.S.
2021: Production at Giga Texas
Production of the Tesla Model Y began at Giga Texas in late 2021.
March 2022: Deliveries Begin from Giga Berlin
Deliveries of the Tesla Model Y began from Giga Berlin in March 2022.
April 9, 2022: Production of Standard Range AWD Begins
On April 9, 2022, Tesla began building the Standard Range AWD configuration of the Model Y at Gigafactory Texas. This configuration was equipped with the new 4680 battery cells and structural battery pack technology, with an EPA range of 279 miles (449 km). Initially, it was only available to employees, invited reservation holders, and customers in the Texas area.
June 10, 2022: Orders Open in Australia
Orders for the Tesla Model Y in Australia opened on June 10, 2022, with initial configurations offered being RWD and Performance AWD, imported from Gigafactory Shanghai.
August 2022: Deliveries Commence in Australia
Deliveries of the Tesla Model Y commenced in Australia in August 2022.
2022: Transition to Tesla Vision
In 2022, software update 2022.20.9 transitioned radar-equipped Model Ys (and Model 3s) to Tesla Vision. Steering assist was limited to 85 mph (137 km/h), down from 90 mph (140 km/h) on vehicles with radar, and minimum following distance was increased to two car lengths from one.
January 12, 2023: Significant Price Reduction
On January 12, 2023, Tesla announced a significant price reduction for the Model Y and Model 3. This reduction made the Model Y Long Range eligible for the federal tax credit of $7,500 under the Inflation Reduction Act.
April 4, 2023: Long Range AWD Released in Australia
The Long Range AWD configuration of the Tesla Model Y was released in Australia on April 4, 2023.
April 7, 2023: Standard Range AWD Available to Public
Around April 7, 2023, Tesla made the Standard Range AWD configuration of the Model Y available for sale to the general public.
October 2023: Standard Range RWD Reintroduced
Tesla reintroduced the Standard Range RWD model to the US market in October 2023.
October 2023: Current Model Y Configurations
As of October 2023, the Standard Range RWD, Long Range AWD, and Performance models of the Tesla Model Y are being offered for sale.
December 2023: Tesla Model Y Becomes World's Best-Selling Vehicle
In December 2023, Tesla delivered 1.2 million Model Ys, making it the world's best-selling vehicle of the year, surpassing the Toyota Corolla.
2023: Autovista Group Residual Value Award
In 2023, the Tesla Model Y won the 'Autovista Group Residual Value Award' in the category of 'Compact and Large Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) SUV'.
March 2024: Consumer Reports Recognition
In March 2024, Consumer Reports named the 2024 Model Y to its "Best Cars of the Year: 10 Top Picks of 2024" list, the only electric car to make the list.
2024: Carbuyer Best Car Awards
The Tesla Model Y also won the 'Best Company Car' award at the 2024 Carbuyer Best Car Awards.