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Tesla’s ‘aging’ designs and how it will combat the newcomers on the EV block
It is no secret that when Tesla finds something that works, the company keeps working with it.
However, even the most loyal customers might end up finding designs and features that Tesla offers somewhat stale after six years of offering essentially the same look as the Model 3, and even newer designs like the Model Y receiving relatively no updates that would set it apart from its predecessor model years.
A report from Fortune states that Tesla’s “aging” designs will push customers in another direction as companies like Volkswagen and Polestar continue to release new and exciting vehicle designs that are fresh, fierce, and fantastic vehicle designs.
Credit: Tesla Inc.
However, Tesla has a strategy that could completely derail these narratives, and they have been in development for some time. While the points brought up in the article undoubtedly bring valid points, it is not to say that there has not been some effort by Tesla to bring a fresh face to its two best-selling cars.
Tesla is revamping its mass-market vehicles with the Model 3 Project Highland and Model Y Project Juniper just in time to tackle the fresh EV offerings that competitors are developing to dethrone the electric automaker from its role as King of the Hill in the sector.
Last week, images of what appear to be the first leaks of the Model 3 Highland Project hit the internet and had the Tesla community talking. The new design is striking, and while it still holds the Model 3’s traditional feel, it definitely brings forth a fresh and fun look that the vehicle has not felt in some time.
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In addition to the Model 3’s Highland look, the Model Y “Project Juniper” is also receiving some redesigns. These details are much less available currently, but the Model 3 and Model Y have always shared relatively the same platform, and Tesla has even said in the past the two cars share a lot of the same parts.
This leads up to believe that Tesla could bring a similar exterior redesign for the Model Y, and with the excitement felt by the community after the leaked Model 3 pictures that were released last week, the Model Y could bring even more of a response from the company’s diehard fans.
The Model 3 made Tesla a household name, but the Model Y kept it there. Now that the Model Y has surpassed the Model 3 in popularity for the most part, a redesign of the all-electric crossover could spell trouble for Tesla’s competitors, as if they did not have enough of a problem already.
Tesla already has a substantial lead in EV tech, and its charging infrastructure is unmatched. With over 45,000 global stalls, reliability, and exclusivity at many of its locations, Tesla offers something that other companies simply can’t.
-->When it comes to fresh vehicle designs, yes, competitors may be able to offer something that Tesla specifically can’t, at least not yet.
However, with the introduction of fresh Model 3 and potentially Model Y designs, too, Tesla will once again take the upper hand in its quest to remain the dominant name in the EV sector.
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Tesla Model Y demand in China is through the roof, and new delivery dates show the company has already sold out its allocation of the all-electric crossover for 2025.
The Model Y has been the most popular vehicle in the world in both of the last two years, outpacing incredibly popular vehicles like the Toyota RAV 4. In China, the EV market is substantially more saturated, with more competitors than in any other market.
However, Tesla has been kind to the Chinese market, as it has launched trim levels for the Model Y in the country that are not available anywhere else. Demand has been strong for the Model Y in China; it ranks in the top 5 of all EVs in the country, trailing the BYD Seagull, Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, and the Geely Galaxy Xingyuan.
The other three models ahead of the Model Y are priced substantially lower.
Tesla is still dealing with strong demand for the Model Y, and the company is now pushing delivery dates to early 2026, meaning the vehicle is sold out for the year:
-->NEWS: New orders for all four Tesla Model Y trims in China are now officially sold out for 2025, as the factory’s remaining production capacity for the year has been fully allocated.
Estimated delivery dates for new orders now show January-February 2026. pic.twitter.com/Dfnu7yY58N
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) December 1, 2025
Tesla experienced a 9.9 percent year-over-year rise in its China-made EV sales for November, meaning there is some serious potential for the automaker moving into next year despite increased competition.
There have been a lot of questions surrounding how Tesla would perform globally with more competition, but it seems to have a good grasp of various markets because of its vehicles, its charging infrastructure, and its Full Self-Driving (FSD) suite, which has been expanding to more countries as of late.
-->Tesla Model Y is still China’s best-selling premium EV through October
Tesla holds a dominating lead in the United States with EV registrations, and performs incredibly well in several European countries.
With demand in China looking strong, it will be interesting to see how the company ends the year in terms of global deliveries.
News
Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
Tesla Europe has announced that its “Future Holidays” campaign will feature Full Self-Driving (Supervised) ride-along experiences in the Netherlands.
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
The Holiday program was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on X. “Come get in the spirit with us. Featuring Caraoke, FSD Supervised ride-along experiences, holiday light shows with our S3XY lineup & more,” the company wrote in its post on X.
Per the program’s official website, fun activities will include Caraoke sessions and light shows with the S3XY vehicle lineup. It appears that Optimus will also be making an appearance at the events. Tesla even noted that the humanoid robot will be in “full party spirit,” so things might indeed be quite fun.
“This season, we’re introducing you to the fun of the future. Register for our holiday events to meet our robots, see if you can spot the Bot to win prizes, and check out our selection of exclusive merchandise and limited-edition gifts. Discover Tesla activities near you and discover what makes the future so festive,” Tesla wrote on its official website.
-->This announcement aligns with Tesla’s accelerating FSD efforts in Europe, where supervised ride-alongs could help demonstrate the tech to regulators and customers. The Netherlands, with its urban traffic and progressive EV policies, could serve as an ideal and valuable testing ground for FSD.
Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for the rollout of FSD to several European countries. Tesla has received approval to operate 19 FSD test vehicles on Spain’s roads, though this number could increase as the program develops. As per the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), Tesla would be able to operate its FSD fleet on any national route across Spain. Recent job openings also hint at Tesla starting FSD tests in Austria. Apart from this, the company is also holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy.
News
Tesla sees sharp November rebound in China as Model Y demand surges
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month.
Tesla’s sales momentum in China strengthened in November, with wholesale volumes rising to 86,700 units, reversing a slowdown seen in October.
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month. This was partly driven by tightened delivery windows, targeted marketing, and buyers moving to secure vehicles before changes to national purchase tax incentives take effect.
Tesla’s November rebound coincided with a noticeable spike in Model Y interest across China. Delivery wait times extended multiple times over the month, jumping from an initial 2–5 weeks to estimated handovers in January and February 2026 for most five-seat variants. Only the six-seat Model Y L kept its 4–8 week estimated delivery timeframe.
The company amplified these delivery updates across its Chinese social media channels, urging buyers to lock in orders early to secure 2025 delivery slots and preserve eligibility for current purchase tax incentives, as noted in a CNEV Post report. Tesla also highlighted that new inventory-built Model Y units were available for customers seeking guaranteed handovers before December 31.
This combination of urgency marketing and genuine supply-demand pressure seemed to have helped boost November’s volumes, stabilizing what had been a year marked by several months of year-over-year declines.
-->For the January–November period, Tesla China recorded 754,561 wholesale units, an 8.30% decline compared to the same period last year. The company’s Shanghai Gigafactory continues to operate as both a domestic production base and a major global export hub, building the Model 3 and Model Y for markets across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, among other territories.
Tesla Model Y demand in China is through the roof, new delivery dates show
Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
