Tesla has officially launched the refreshed Model Y in North America and Europe, just 13 days after the launch for the Asia-Pacific Markets.
Just like the other markets, Tesla will be starting with the Launch Edition, which will include FSD and Acceleration Boost. It will also include other smaller details such as Launch Edition badging, puddle lights, special wordmark logos on the door sill plates, and wireless charging pads, as well as an exclusive textile trim and black vegan suede interior.
The new Model Y is available for pre-order immediately but will only begin shipping in March, which is surprisingly sooner than the market where it was initially unveiled. Due to the new model, Tesla has also begun to offer some compelling inventory discounts for the now, last-gen Model Y.
Pricing
Pricing for the new Model Y includes the Launch Edition package - similar to the Foundation Series Cybertruck pricing - a premium launch bundle that will give you a fair amount of additional features and get you earlier access to the new Model Y.
What’s unique with this launch is that color and wheel selection are included in the price - so you can choose from Stealth Grey, Pearl White Multicoat, Ultra Red, and Quicksilver in North America and Black/Quicksilver in Europe without any additional fees. You can also pick from the 19” Crossflow wheels or the 20” Helix 2.0 wheels in North America, while Europe is limited to the 20” Helix 2.0 wheels.
Not a Tesla App
Tesla did not announce the price for the non-Launch Edition versions of the vehicle. This includes the RWD, Long Range AWD, and Performance variants. We’ll likely see these launch in the coming months but expect Tesla to continue to sell the Launch Edition as long as there’s demand. Given that the Model Y is the world’s best-selling vehicle, it could be a while before we see a non-bundle version.
Tesla’s site currently only lists the new Model Y with its Long-Range All-Wheel Drive variant. The Long-Range Rear-Wheel Drive variant is currently unavailable in North America and Europe, but the specs are listed on the “Compare Models” page.
Model
Price (USD)
Price (CAD)
Price (EU)**
New Model Y LR AWD
$59,990
$84,990
€49,990
2024 Model Y Performance
$51,490
$73,990
€52,990
2024 Model Y LR AWD
$47,990
$68,990
€58,990
2024 Model Y LR RWD
$44,990
$64,990
€61,990
*Canadian Prices include the recent price increase.
**EU prices may vary by ordering nation.
The new Model Y comes in well above the price for the Performance variant of the previous Model Y. However, remember that this includes the $2,000 Acceleration Boost package, the $8,000 FSD package, and all of the other smaller add-ons. If you were already planning to buy the FSD and Acceleration Boost packages, it ends up being a decent deal, but the biggest attraction is the ability to get your Model Y much sooner.
Metallic infrared reflective coating on all glass for better heat reflection
Power-actuated second-row vents
One stalk for signaling. Shifting is now on the main screen.
The front-end view.
Not a Tesla App
Asia-Pacific Differences
RWD Variant: There are three key differences for the North American and European launches, versus the Asia-Pacific launch. First off, the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive variant isn’t available for ordering at this time. That’s a pretty big hit - because it was the far more affordable version of the refreshed Model Y. With the new pricing forcing buyers to buy FSD and Acceleration Boost, making it more expensive than the Performance model, it could lead some buyers to hold off until the Launch Edition is over.
Glacial Blue: Second, the new color - glacial blue - isn’t making its way to North America or Europe at this time. In fact, the color palette for the Model Y appears to be limited to Stealth Grey, Pearl White Multicoat, Ultra Red, and Quicksilver in North America and just black and Quicksilver in Europe.
Tow Hitch: Third - and honestly the most exciting - a class II tow hitch, capable of towing the same 3,500 lbs of weight, is available in North America and Europe, and it is included as part of the features for the Launch Edition.
Mobile Charger: In North America, Tesla is bringing back the bundled mobile charger with the new Model Y. However, this is expected to be unique to the Launch Edition. Unfortunately, it’s not included in Europe.
With deliveries slated for March, we’re excited to see the first few arrive in North America and Europe arrive in the next 5-10 weeks. We’re sure the refreshed Model Y will be making its way to Tesla showrooms, as well as Auto Shows in both markets sometime soon - so stay tuned.
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Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi recently spoke at the Future Investment Initiative Institute Priority conference, where he discussed Tesla’s robotaxi network and its integration with Cybercabs. While Tesla has said that it would sell Cybercabs directly to customers in addition to adding them to the Robotaxi network itself, Khosrowshahi said that Musk is not open to adding Cybercabs to Uber’s platform.
They want to build it alone, so to some extent in Austin, we and Waymo will be competing with Tesla when they launch. — Uber CEO
Tesla App, not Uber App
Tesla is developing its own app to launch the Robotaxi network. While Tesla itself has not said it would be against partnering with Uber or other rideshare platforms, it certainly doesn’t want to rely on them for any parts of the process. The Robotaxi network will initially roll out in Austin, Texas, with Tesla’s Cybercab fleet set to hit the roads this June.
Tesla’s executive team has repeatedly emphasized—both during the Q4 2024 Earnings Call and at other events—that their vision for autonomy requires full control over the entire user experience. From summoning a ride in the Tesla app to the Cybercab arriving, transporting passengers, and completing the trip, every aspect of the journey is meant to remain under Tesla’s control.
The Flipside
There are some advantages to integrating Tesla’s autonomous vehicles with Uber’s platform, and Khosrowshahi highlighted them. Economically, it would make sense—Uber already has a massive, established user base, something Tesla currently lacks.
Tesla will be entering a competitive market where riders are already accustomed to using platforms like Uber, which has their payment information stored and ready to go. Convincing users to switch to Tesla’s in-house Robotaxi service could be a challenge. While the novelty of Tesla’s offering may attract some early adopters, long-term success will require a shift in consumer habits.
However, let’s not underestimate what motivates consumers. If Tesla can make their rides more convenient, safer, or drastically cheaper, consumers will quickly adapt.
Tesla’s Advantage
To maintain momentum beyond the initial novelty, Tesla must deliver an exceptional end-to-end experience. Otherwise, riders may revert to familiar services after trying out Tesla’s robotaxis. This could be one of the rare instances where Tesla needs to move cautiously rather than embracing its typical “move fast and break things” approach. Public acceptance of autonomous vehicles remains limited, and widespread adoption will require a combination of education, reliability, and a seamless user experience.
Fortunately, Tesla is well-positioned to meet these challenges, and the Cybercab is designed with the average rideshare user in mind. With a spacious, comfortable, and easy-to-clean interior, it offers a premium experience—without the premium price tag.
Tesla has stated its goal of lowering the cost of Robotaxi rides to as little as eight cents per mile—an incredibly low figure, even compared to subsidized public transit in major cities. If Tesla can achieve this price point, affordability will become a major selling point, long after the novelty factor fades.
Ultimately, Tesla’s Robotaxi service has the potential to be a game-changer. While excitement and curiosity may drive early adoption, it’s the economic advantage—offering a lower-cost alternative to Uber and traditional rideshare services—that will keep customers coming back.
Tesla’s latest vehicles, including the Cybertruck, Cybercab, and the refreshed Model Y, now feature a front bumper camera. However, as of FSD v13.2.8, the Cybertruck’s bumper camera remains unused for FSD and primarily serves as a helpful tool for parking and off-road driving.
With bumper cameras becoming more common across Tesla’s lineup, the question remains: will they eventually become a necessary component for Unsupervised FSD, or are they simply an added convenience for now?
Actually Smart Summon Needs Bumper Vision
Not a Tesla App
Every Tesla model that has the ability to use Actually Smart Summon occasionally rolls slightly forward or backward before exiting a parking stall. This movement helps the vehicle get a better view of what’s directly beneath the front lip of the hood before proceeding.
However, this behavior has led some vehicles to make contact with walls or posts, prompting the NHTSA to launch an investigation into Actually Smart Summon. The simple solution is to mount a lower front camera that allows the vehicle to see what’s directly in front of it when it wakes up.
The Cybertruck currently lacks access to Actually Smart Summon—or any Summon functionality, for that matter. Tesla hasn’t announced when the vehicle will receive one of its most advanced autonomy features. Given the vehicle’s height and its larger front blind spot, the delay likely stems from the need to integrate the bumper camera for improved visibility.
At the end of the day, Actually Smart Summon is essential for Unsupervised FSD. A fully autonomous vehicle must be capable of navigating crowded parking lots, reaching pickup points, and parking itself without human intervention.
Training Data and Cameras
We already know that adding a new vehicle to FSD can take months—but what about integrating training data from an entirely new camera and perspective? That process could take even longer, especially with a vehicle like the Cybertruck, which is larger and wider than Tesla’s other models.
We also know that the Cybercab—set to launch in Austin in just a few months—features a bumper camera to improve visibility below the front lip. Tesla doesn’t add new components without purpose; every part, from the camera and wiring to the housing and engineering, represents a calculated investment.
Given this, it’s reasonable to expect that Tesla is already using bumper camera data from the Cybertruck—and soon, the refreshed Model Y—to train an updated FSD model. Whether this model is focused on parking lot navigation and Actually Smart Summon or expands to broader FSD improvements on city streets and highways remains to be seen.
Compute and AI5
Tesla has already stated that the AI4 computer has unused compute power, but they’re running into memory limitations in future FSD builds due to the sheer volume of incoming data. That said, Tesla has hinted at optimizations to better manage memory on AI4.
Would integrating data from an additional camera overwhelm the system? Probably not in terms of compute, but memory efficiency remains a key area for improvement—especially as Tesla plans to triple both the model size and context window in upcoming FSD versions.
On the other hand, the Cybercab is set to launch with its own unique, more powerful AI5 computer. At the We, Robot autonomy event in October, Elon Musk confirmed that AI5 was designed for redundancy and higher safety. Tesla has been working on parallelizing FSD computations for some time—but we’ll explore that in a separate article.
Wrapping it Together
Putting it all together: the bumper camera has arrived, and Tesla doesn’t add hardware without a purpose. While it’s not yet in use for FSD, Tesla is likely gathering footage to train future models. The AI4 computer has the compute power to handle an additional data stream—but will Tesla actually integrate it?
If we were to go out on a limb, we’d say that Unsupervised FSD will likely require a bumper camera to be part of the Robotaxi network, but there’s another compelling reason. Tesla currently offers Supervised FSD for subscription and sale - but you can no longer buy FSD the way it used to be marketed. That changed back in September 2024, when they made adjustments to all their websites globally to list Supervised FSD as the product and feature that was being sold. That could have an impact on Tesla’s future plans with how they offer Unsupervised vs Supervised FSD.
So, will a bumper camera be necessary? We think so. Will it be a retrofit? Possibly. Tesla has already confirmed that they will retrofit HW3 vehicles with improved hardware in the future, meaning that other FSD hardware upgrades aren’t completely off the table.
However, retrofitting a bumper camera is complex, requiring extensive disassembly, wiring through the frunk, firewall, and into the AI computer. It’s possible that the camera will primarily be used for low-speed parking lot maneuvers—where supervision will be required—while Unsupervised FSD will only be available while driving on city streets and highways. The largest issue is simply what happens if the vehicle was asleep, and it can now only leave by driving forward — where it has a large blind spot.
While the exact role of the front bumper camera remains uncertain, its presence in newer models suggests it could be critical for a. fully autonomous vehicle. Whether it becomes a requirement for the vehicle to start driving from a parked position without anyone inside the vehicle, or whether it’ll only be required in parking lots or even to become a part of the Robotaxi network remains to be seen.
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