On January 10, the brand-new Tesla Model Y “Juniper” made its debut in China, prompting an astonishing 50,000 orders on the launch day alone, as reported by prominent Chinese auto blogger Zhang San Jiao Xing Jian Zhe. A Tesla China retailer reportedly received nearly 300 orders on the 10th, with all being prospective customers planning to purchase the new Model Y. According to a Chinese language auto blogger, Pang Hu Shawn, or胖虎Shawn, another revelation has emerged indicating that the number of orders placed with a single retailer exceeds 100 models.
According to the Tesla China retail experience, even if a customer places an intention deposit now and joins the waiting list, they will still need to wait until April or May to take delivery of their vehicle.
A snapshot of Zhang San Jiao’s Weibo account.
With over 121,000 followers on Weibo, Zhang San Jiao Xing Jian Zhe is an established and prominent auto blogger certified by the platform. On December 31, 2024, he publicly announced that the highly anticipated Tesla Model Y is expected to hit the market in January 2025, citing insider information directly from a Tesla sales representative.
Pang Hu Shawn has earned certification as an auto blogger on Weibo, boasting an impressive following of 121,000 users. He secured a notable 97th-place finish in the #VAffect Record# 2024 Week 49 car category on Weibo. The affect rating is based on three key dimensions: a 45% reliance on effective communication, a further 45% focus on the attractiveness of the presented content, and a smaller 10% consideration given to activeness.
The two trim levels of the brand-new Tesla Model Y, a Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) and a Long-Range All-Wheel Drive (AWD), were introduced with price tags of ¥263,500 (approximately $35,950 USD) and ¥303,500 (approximately $41,400 USD), respectively. Tesla’s Chinese division has announced that production is expected to commence officially in March. Within just five minutes of its publication on January 10, Tesla China’s Weibo launch garnered over 100,000 views, a staggering achievement that speaks volumes about the brand’s enduring popularity.
According to a Tesla salesperson, the number of orders surged exponentially on that particular day, with reports indicating an explosion in demand. Although the previous Tesla Model Y’s affordable price tag made it an attractive option for many, the new model still garnered significant interest from potential buyers.
On Weibo, the phrase “New Mannequin Y, irrelevant to comparisons” briefly dominated the trending search list following the launch of the latest model. Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, corroborated this development on Weibo with a simple yet telling “OK” and subtly highlighted his focus on the Xiaomi Yu7 by tagging it in his post.
Supply: Weibo
