Tesla is planning to introduce a restyled, China-made Model Y sports utility vehicle featuring a new wheel design and ambient lighting, with mass production expected to begin in its Shanghai factory as early as mid-2024, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory is undergoing preparations for the move and will suspend production for a week during the lunar New Year holiday for a partial upgrade, which will be followed by more adjustments before mass production, people with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg. The news comes just two months after the US electric vehicle giant began selling a refreshed version of its popular crossover with prices remaining the same in China on Oct. 1, having faced intensified competition from rivals ranging from BYD to Xpeng. The entry level version of the existing Model Y can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.9 seconds, faster than the 6.9 seconds of its predecessor, although radar sensors were removed by the automaker to instead rely on cameras for automated driving. [Bloomberg]
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