Tesla Under Fire After Customer Receives Older Model Y Without Discount

Leshan, Sichuan's Ms. Song, purchased a Tesla Model Y Long Range All-wheel Drive. The lady placed the order at a neighborhood Tesla Center almost a month ago. But she was to pick up the order at Haikou, Hainan.

She came to get the delivery on December 8, 2025. However, she found the vehicle produced in June 2025. This is before a July refresh that boosted its battery range from 719 km to 750 km CLTC. The annoying part is that both cars sell for the same price.

Upset by the "old model," Ms. Song refused acceptance. She blamed the salesperson for not disclosing the upgrade during ordering. She sought a refund of her 1,000 yuan deposit plus 5,000 yuan compensation for travel and lodging in Haikou. She insisted that the error lay with Tesla's staff, not her.

Tesla responded on December 26, noting Ms. Song switched from a futures order to an in-stock car for faster delivery. The vehicle matched the contract's "2025-02" production code, but the employee skipped full confirmation steps. The company imposed strict discipline on the worker, enhanced training protocols, and pledged ongoing talks for a fair resolution. At the time of writing this article, there was no report on how Tesla resolved the issue.

The July 2025 refresh, applied to Model Y and Model 3 Long Range variants in China, delivers 750 km range without price changes. Drawing Cybertruck inspiration, it sports a rugged yet streamlined design with updated front/rear lights, wheels, and mirrors. Dimensions stand at 4,797 x 2,129 x 1,624 mm, featuring longer rear seats, a UV-protected panoramic roof, ambient lighting, ventilated front seats, 16 speakers, eight cameras, AI 4 hardware, and full airbags.

Sometimes, cases like this show how a communication gap can affect business. This case highlights Tesla's challenges in communicating rapid updates amid China's fierce EV competition. Negotiations could result in a model swap or added perks, prioritizing customer trust.