Tesla Slashes Lease Prices on Model 3 and Model Y, Offering Up to 21% Savings

October 13, 2023

By Kevin Armstrong

Tesla lowers lease prices on the Model 3 and Model Y

Tesla

Tesla has revamped its leasing program to align with the swiftly changing electric vehicle landscape. Historically, consumers primarily purchased EVs outright, but the tide is turning. By June 2023, an impressive 22% of new EVs on the road were leased, showing a significant jump from 13% in June 2022. This shift highlights the growing allure of flexible ownership, particularly in the evolving EV market.

Year-End Incentives and Performance Targets

Tesla's recent overhaul of its leasing options seems tailored to cater to this rising interest in leasing. This strategic move taps into current market dynamics and positions Tesla to bolster its year-end performance.

The company's communication about the potential reduction of the $7,500 tax credit for the Model 3 to $3,750 by the end of the year could spur many to finalize their purchase or leasing decisions, aiding Tesla's Q4 figures — especially after the Q3 hiccups.

Making Tesla EVs More Accessible: The Revamped Lease Prices

For consumers on the fence about transitioning to an EV, Tesla's enticing lease rates could tip the scales:

Tesla Model 3 Lease

Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive: A drop from $419 to a tempting $329/month.
Model 3 Long Range: Now at $439/month, down from $509.
Model 3 Performance: An attractive $529/month reduction from $609.

Tesla Model Y Lease

Model Y Rear Wheel Drive: A slash from $499 to a competitive $399/month.
Model Y Long Range: A decrease from $549 to $469/month.
Model Y Performance: A revised rate of $539/month, down from $629.

These attractive prices are for a 36-month lease term, covering a yearly distance of up to 10,000 miles.

Influence on the Broader EV Marketplace

Tesla's dynamic pricing and leasing strategies, while aimed at broadening its consumer base, are also poised to impact the larger EV market. The EV leasing trend is gaining traction; other industry players are already experimenting with innovative solutions. For instance, Hyundai introduced a month-to-month EV "subscription" and offerings from startups like Autonomy, which provide monthly subscription models for a diverse range of EVs.

Tesla's refreshed leasing approach and timely communication regarding potential changes to tax credits reflect its commitment to staying ahead in a rapidly shifting market. As 2023 draws to a close, Tesla's moves indicate a strong desire to end the year on a high note - again.

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Tesla to Allow Drivers to Display License Plates in Vehicle Visualization

October 30, 2024

By Karan Singh

Rendering of what Tesla's license plate feature could look like

Not a Tesla App

Tesla update 2024.38 has started rolling out to several regions and vehicles. Thanks to Tesla hacker Greentheonly, we have a behind-the-scenes look at some new features coming to Teslas.

License Plate Display

According to Greentheonly, it looks like Tesla may soon let you display your actual license plate in the vehicle’s visualization on the screen. In our article, The Most Request Tesla Features, several readers suggested displaying the vehicle’s license plate in the visualization instead of a blank, white plate.

It looks like Tesla will be doing just that, at least in China. Green found references that appear to conclude that you’ll be able to display your vehicle’s plate on screen. This will likely be user input, so you could have it say anything you’d like, and it doesn’t have to be your actual license plate.

For many owners, who may find it difficult to remember their license plate, this could serve a practical purpose in addition to adding to the visualization's realism.

While Green was only able to say it’ll be available in China, we expect this is due to China’s software development team working on it and that it’ll eventually be released worldwide.

We’ve seen several features originally released in China and later applied to everyone. Some of these include the Air Quality Index display, the trip meter that displays traffic along your route, and even the ability to change your vehicle’s color.

While code for this feature was found in update 2024.38, we may not be turned on in China yet. We suspect this feature may be a strong candidate for Tesla’s upcoming holiday update.

FSD Hardware Version Display

As part of the 2024.38 update, Tesla has now made it easy to determine whether your vehicle includes Hardware 3 or Hardware 4. You can now simply navigate to Controls > Software and tap Additional Vehicle Information. In addition to other hardware information about your vehicle, your Autopilot hardware version will now be listed as well.

You can see whether your vehicle has HW2.5, HW3, or AI4. This in-car display is useful, but if you don’t have access to the vehicle, you can always use our guide on how to determine the hardware version of a Tesla.

New Battery Health Test & Service Mode Improvements

Green found some additional things as well. There’s a new and improved Battery Health Test. The new test will show you how your car scores compared to similar vehicles in the Tesla fleet.

In addition, maintenance records can now be permanently stored “in the car.” It doesn’t appear that this feature is activated yet, but it’s likely in active development with some parts leaking out in the 2024.38 update.

Tesla has included various Service Mode improvements and new visualizations in this update.

Leaked Images of the Tesla Model Y Juniper Refresh

October 30, 2024

By Karan Singh

Mr Li on X

It’s been a while since we saw the last batch of leaked images of the Model Y Juniper refresh. That inspiring photo, alongside other images, set the blood of many concept artists on fire. We saw a ton of awesome concepts of Project Juniper, and now there are even more leaked images.

Mr Li on X came across some covered-up Project Juniper vehicles recently and he managed to get various shots of the vehicle.

Juniper Images

This front image reveals what looks like two rows of lights, possibly confirming the front light bar for the Model Y refresh — similar to the one on the Cybercab.

The rear side has a lot of lights on it!

Mr Li on X

The rear side shows a ton of brake lights, but it’s not clear why. While it looks like the Model Y refresh will also feature a rear light bar similar to the Cybertruck, there isn’t strong evidence of that in this photo.

Mr Li on X

There's an obvious set of lights at the bottom, so it looks like the Model Y refresh will be similar to the new Model 3 where the bottom lights can operate as brake lights when the one-piece tail lights and trunk are up.

Mr Li on X

In the last photo, we see that the overall form factor of the refreshed Model Y will remain unchanged, and Tesla is focusing the changes on the front and rear ends of the vehicle, much like the Model 3 refresh. However, in this one shot, we can also see what appears to be red light leaking out of the rear camera cover opening, possibly due to the rear light bar.

The Model Y is not only Tesla’s best-selling vehicle but also the world’s best-selling car in 2023. This year, it’s expected to be the best-selling vehicle in the United States and again in the world, so this refresh will be huge for Tesla.

We expect most of the interior to remain the same as the Model 3 refresh, which saw substantial improvements in quality, noise reduction, and performance. Check out our wishlist of more things we hope to see in the Model Y refresh.

Dominic’s Concept

Dominic's Concept, in all its glory.

@DominicBRNKMN on X

@DominicBRNKMN made another fantastic set of concepts based on these new images. Given he had the most accurate Model 3 Highland concept before the official launch, we’re pretty sure his latest work be close here as well.

@DominicBRNKMN

We’re super excited to see the eventual reveal of Project Juniper, which is expected in the first half of 2025. However, expect to see a few more leaks before production kicks off at Giga Shanghai.