Amid protests, Tesla begins delivery of 2025 Model Y in US

Tesla has started the first delivery of the 2025 Model Y at its Texas and Freemont factories in the US. The Elon Musk-led electric vehicle company shared pictures taken during the delivery of the new Model Y on social media. Several top officials, including Tesla's design chief Franz von Holzhausen, congratulated the new owners of the Model Y. Tesla's official X (formerly Twitter) account posted on the occasion, "Celebrating the first delivery of the new Model Y at Giga Texas and Freemont factories!" According to media reports, the Model Y was the best-selling electric car in the US, with 3,73,000 units sold.

The price for the new Model Y for the year 2025 has been revealed at $ 46,490 with the full self-driving (supervised) mode being a standard. The buyers are also provided with up to a $ 7,500 government discount. The Model Y comes in Stealth Gray, Pearl White, Ultra Red, and Quicksilver color options. The new Model Y, as claimed by the company, can cover up to a distance of 526 km in one charge with a top speed of up to 201 kmph.

It features a 15.4-inch infotainment screen, though the lack of a traditional instrument panel may take a while for people to adjust to. Its glass roof allows more light into the vehicle while eliminating sun glare.

The Model Y comes with full self-driving (supervised) technology, which can take the vehicle up to a speed of 150 kmph. The vehicle can handle complex turns, intersections, highway driving, and stop scenarios. However, the driver should be supervised and his hands should be placed on the steering wheel at all times.

Protests have been held at several of Tesla's US factories, particularly in New York and Portland, Oregon. Protesters chanted slogans such as "Fire Elon Musk". People in Manhattan also chanted "Oligarchs out, democracy in", the New York Times reported. Similar protests took place in Europe, where people took to the streets in Barcelona, ​​Lisbon, and London.