Tesla sets 2025 Model Y release date in the US and offers $599 lease with free FSD and tax credit compensation

Tesla launched the 2025 Model Y orders in the US, just as rumored, and the Juniper refresh price is set at $59,990 stateside before the tax credit or other incentives, but with FSD bundled.

The 2025 Model Y release date in the US is set for March, just as in China or Europe, and Tesla offers the Juniper facelift as a Launch Series Long Range AWD edition with exclusive badging and free FSD in the bundle, which explains the much higher price.

2025 Model Y battery and EPA range

• ~330 miles (exp.)

Tesla pegs the new Model Y range at up to 320 miles of range on the smaller, 19-inch set of new Crossflow wheels. With the premium 20-inch Helix wheels, the Model Y Juniper range is listed as 303 miles. That is according to Tesla's own internal range testing, though, which is typically more demanding than the EPA standard, so that range could still be revised upward by more than ten extra miles.

Thus, the official 2025 Model Y AWD EPA range estimate could be pretty close to the 337 miles that the current RWD version commands in the US. In China, Tesla officially brought a 3% better range for the facelift compared to the previous model, based on the local CLTC testing cycle.

Tesla explains how it provides a longer Juniper range on a charge as "redesigned exterior with improved aerodynamics to unlock better range, performance & longevity," rather than a new or bigger battery, so it remains to be seen if it is using its own 4680 cells for the Model Y Juniper in the US.

2025 Model Y Launch Edition price and leases in the US

• $52,490 with tax credit
• $699/month lease
• $59,990 price before tax credit

Tesla has priced the 2025 Model Y $4,000 higher than what the equivalent AWD version costs now, even if the FSD option wasn't bundled. Granted, this is for the Launch Series edition that comes with "exclusive badging on the rear liftgate, puddle light, doorsill plate and more," as well as more "premium materials" for the seats and interior, but even so the 2025 Model Y is more expensive than the current top-end Performance trim.

Tesla still lists the Model Y Juniper as eligible for the federal tax credit, though, which explains the rushed announcement of a single trim with availability not expected before March. Early 2025 Model Y adopters can take advantage of the $7,500 tax credit right now if they hurry, since the new Trump administration has ordered a pause in any EV subsidy disbursements until further notice, and might chuck the tax credit altogether.

Tesla may be willing to compensate buyers for the loss of the Model Y Juniper refresh tax credit, though. It is currently offering a $599 monthly lease on the 2025 Model Y, where it factors in $100 "gas savings" and a mysterious "Tesla incentive" that is conspicuously priced just as the $7,500 federal tax credit. Tesla also offers a purchase option for leased Model Y Juniper refresh vehicles as a welcome added bonus.

New 2025 Model Y specs and design differences

• 4.1 seconds 0-60 mph acceleration
• 250 kW charging (154 miles range in 15 minutes)
• 320-mile range on 19-inch wheels
• 303-mile range on 20-inch wheels
• 15.4-inch central display with high pixel density
• 8-inch rear display
• 6.6-inch clearance
• 4,396 lbs weight
• Up to 76 cubic feet of cargo
• 8-year battery warranty
• 15-speaker audio system with subwoofer

Higher Juniper facelift price aside, the new 2025 Model Y also offers many exterior, interior, and specification advantages before the old Model Y other than the longer range on a charge, and Tesla lists them all:

• New wheels, brakes, and tires and updated suspension for a smoother ride
• Single cross-car bar is the first indirect reflective taillight of its kind in the world
• Ambient interior lighting, refined material, ventilated first-row seats
• Power folding second-row seats
• Bluetooth-compatible 8-inch touchscreen in the back
• Quieter cabin thanks to acoustic glass
• Hidden speakers for a minimalist aesthetic
• Improved connectivity with longer Phone Key range, clearer calls, and faster cellular or Wi-Fi

Tesla also launched the 2025 Model Y in Europe, bringing an intriguing new AWD Launch Series Maximum Range version that offers longer range on a charge than even the current RWD range champion there - 568 km (352 miles) vs 565 km - on the local WLTP cycle.

Now, that one could have the rumored larger 95 kWh 2025 Model Y battery, though its range can only be compared to the US version once the official EPA estimates are out.

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