Tesla shifts approach to freshens

Tesla Inc. is not known for regularly updating the interior and exterior hardware of its four models, relying instead on software updates to add features and keep the vehicles feeling fresh. But that's about to change.

The brand's original mass-market vehicle, the Model S sedan, doesn't look much different than a decade ago. Tesla did a mild freshen on the Model S and Model X crossover in 2021, but the Model 3 and Model Y are mostly the same since their launches, save for some battery changes and suspension updates for a softer ride.

Likewise, Tesla hasn't been quick to add new models. Tesla's newest vehicle, the Model Y, launched three years ago, bringing the automaker's light-vehicle lineup to two sedans and two crossovers in the compact and midsize segments.

But as the brand matures and looks to keep growing, both new models and freshens are around the corner.

The big news is Tesla's largest consumer vehicle: the full-size Cybertruck pickup. Presented in 2019 and originally scheduled for release in 2021, the stainless-steel truck is expected to launch this month, although CEO Elon Musk is known for breaking deadlines.

The Model 3, the brand's most affordable model, will get a moderate freshen early next year in the U.S. based on an updated version presented in Europe in late August. The update, dubbed Highland, will be the first since the sedan first rolled off the line in 2017 to a massive waiting list.

The Model Y is due for its first freshen in early 2025. Smaller changes were made this year, such as a new base model with a smaller battery and lower price and improved cameras for advanced driver-assistance features.

Tesla's second-generation Roadster could enter production in late 2024, according to one forecaster, but it's not a sure thing given that it was first presented in 2017 and promised by Musk for 2020. Skeptics estimate further delays into the latter part of the decade, despite Musk's most recent promise of a 2024 launch.

The automaker is building a manufacturing plant in Mexico to make vehicles on a new, smaller platform that would be priced for the mainstream market. Analysts are calling the next vehicle Model 2, based on its expected size, but Musk calls it a robotaxi based on his expectations of its autonomous driving capability.

Tesla also plans mass production of its Semi truck in 2024 after delivering the first batch to PepsiCo last year.

Cybertruck: The electric vehicle maker's most anticipated vehicle launch since the Model Y in 2020 is expected as early as this month. Tesla has teased a Cybertruck delivery event at its Austin, Texas, plant but has not given a date. Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted a picture of himself Aug. 23 on social media driving the latest Cybertruck "production candidate." Tesla has said volume deliveries will come next year after the factory ramps up production. Musk said in May that annual demand for the pickup could be anywhere from 250,000 vehicles to half a million.

The biggest question remaining about the wildly styled truck is price. When first presented in 2019, Musk said it would start at $39,900 excluding shipping. But he has since suggested the base price will be higher. Asked by a fan on X (formerly Twitter) last month, Musk said: "While I think it is our best product ever, it is an extremely difficult product to build. We are in uncharted territory." Tesla's most inexpensive vehicle, the base Model 3 rear-wheel drive, starts at $41,880 including shipping. The Cybertruck will have all-wheel drive, rear-wheel steering and stainless steel exterior body panels. Musk has also promised up to 500 miles of range on a single charge, suggesting a massive battery pack on the top trim. No major updates are expected to the Cybertruck this decade beyond software updates and component changes such as the internal computer.

Model X: The midsize crossover received a freshen in 2021 that focused mostly on improving its interior and infotainment. Another freshen is expected in 2027, but a redesign likely won't come until the turn of the decade, forecasters say.

Model Y: A freshen of the compact crossover is expected in early 2025. It should incorporate some of the features in the Model 3 refresh that comes earlier, such as ventilated seats and ambient lighting. Tesla updated the Model Y's exterior cameras and internal computer over the summer, with the package known as Hardware 4 showing up on vehicles in July. The update is designed to improve Tesla's advanced driver-assistance features that will someday, according to Musk, allow them to drive autonomously.

Model S: Tesla's flagship sedan received a freshen in 2021 along with a new Plaid performance trim. The sedan is the oldest vehicle in the EV maker's lineup and the design has remained mostly the same except for some small updates. A freshen is expected in 2027, but a new generation is not expected until the turn of the decade.

Model 3: The compact sedan, which launched in 2017 as Tesla's entry model, is finally getting its first freshen. The automaker presented an updated version on Aug. 31that adds premium features, including a rear-seat infotainment screen and turn signals that have been moved to the steering wheel. "More sophisticated materials, ventilated seats and customizable ambient lighting," Tesla said of the freshened Model 3. "More refined and relaxed ride quality, thanks to a combination of stiffer body and updated suspension tuning." Media reports said the sedan's electric motors and battery options are the same but that other changes, including a more aerodynamic body with new front and rear styling, increases efficiency by 8 percent. The updated 3 is launching in some markets in coming months but may not launch in the U.S. until early next year. Tesla has not announced U.S. pricing, but in China the base sticker rose by 12 percent as of early September. Tesla has constantly adjusted prices this year depending on demand and could do so again at any moment.

Roadster: Tesla's second-generation Roadster was first teased in 2017, but it has been delayed multiple times. Musk's latest estimate is for 2024. Some forecasters say that could happen late in 2024, while others anticipate another delay. Tesla originally said its price would be $200,000 for the base and $250,000 for a limited-edition model. Tesla has not said whether those prices would be updated.

Model 2/Robotaxi: Tesla has not given many details about vehicles coming on its next-generation platform except that they are designed to reduce manufacturing costs by 50 percent and target the mass market. Analysts have labeled the first vehicle off the platform the Model 2 because the Model 3 is currently the automaker's smallest and most affordable vehicle. Tesla has not revealed the actual name. Musk said in May that Tesla is working on two new models, fueling speculation one is an entry-level sedan and the other an autonomous taxi. Analysts are suggesting $25,000 to $30,000 for the Model 2, bringing Tesla into the mainstream market. The vehicle is expected to be made globally, starting at a new Mexico factory in mid-2025 or in 2026. AutoPacific expects the Model 2 to be a crossover and not a sedan because crossovers are more popular. Musk has said the robotaxi will have a futuristic design.