Even in Israel, with a price that has climbed to NIS 236,000, the Model Y is facing increasing competition / Rami Gilboa
The Tesla Model Y was in 2023 the best-selling car in the world, with 1.2 million cars, overtaking the Toyota Corolla, the eternal holder of the title, the first time an electric car has won it.
This is a testament to the rise of electric cars and Tesla's success, but also a result of the small number of models it produces, so the Y is its offering to anyone looking for a small electric crossover.
For example, the Volkswagen Group has 3 models that compete with the Y, and each of them has two body versions. This is the reason why, although the Model Y was the best-selling car in Germany last year, the Volkswagen Group sold more electric cars in the country than Tesla.
But it's also no secret that Tesla is working on a facelift for the Y, which has been produced since 2020 and arrived in Israel in 2022.
The Model 3 that was launched before it underwent a significant overhaul this year.
The news that such an update is on the way under the code name "Juniper" and the growing competition have slowed down demand for the Y in recent months, which delivered 4,150 cars in Israel last year.
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Since most people don't love to buy cars in the middle of winter, Tesla is offering a $1000 incentive to do so.
This is the essential quandary of manufacturing: factories need continuous production for efficiency, but consumer demand is seasonal.
https://t.co/Tn9ThqMATZ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 11, 2024
In recent days, Tesla has taken two actions to re-accelerate the sales of the model on which it depends until the launch of the discounted Tesla, which is now officially scheduled for the end of 2025. The company distributed an update to its agencies in the US that the facelift for the model is not expected soon, and hinted that it will not be launched this year, contrary to estimates .
But she also did not avoid a more painful step for her: discounting the rear-wheel drive and long-range models of the Y by $1,000.
There is no change in the prices of the performance version.
The discounts will be valid until the end of the month.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, actually provided his followers with another reason for the discount: "People don't like to buy cars in the winter, but the factories must continue to work at the same pace," tweeted Musk.
This after last month he reduced the prices of the Y in Germany by 5,000 euros , a move that was explained in an attempt to balance the German government's cancellation of benefits for the purchase of electric cars.
In Israel, meanwhile, there is no change, and the price of the basic Y in the rear-wheel drive version remains at NIS 236,000.
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