Overview

• New highway photos show the budget-oriented test car without front and rear light bars, with single-piece headlights, a pared-back fascia, and new aerodynamic wheels.
• An undisguised white prototype was seen in Texas wearing Florida manufacturer plates, indicating active U.S. road testing.
• Recent software and firmware clues point to deletions or simplifications including the glass roof, second-row screen, HEPA filter, ambient lighting, some powered controls, and revised motor configurations.
• A website leak circulating this week lists a Model Y Standard at about $39,990 in the U.S., roughly $5,000 below the current base model, though the price has not been confirmed.
• Tesla has said “first builds” of its more affordable effort were produced in June, and the company has framed the entry offering as a Model Y variant rather than an all-new $25,000 car.