The Tesla Model Y Performance looks set to finally return to China. A new Model Y variant has appeared in the latest batch of new-vehicle filings published by China’s ministry of industry and information technology (MIIT) on Friday, and based on the numbers listed, it can only be the Performance version of the Juniper facelift, CnEVPost reports.
The giveaway is the top speed. The filed vehicle is rated at 250 km/h, well above the 201 km/h ceiling shared by all four Model Y variants currently sold in China – and matching the figure quoted for the Model Y Performance sold in Europe, the Middle East, North America and other markets since last year.
According to the filing, the Shanghai-built variant is a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive model with a 176 kW front motor and a 291 kW rear motor – a significant bump over the 137 kW/220 kW combination in the regular Long Range AWD (discontinued recently in Malaysia). It draws power from a ternary lithium-ion (NMC) battery pack with cells supplied by LG Energy Solution’s Chinese subsidiary.
The filing lists dimensions of 4,796 mm long, 1,920 mm wide and 1,611 mm tall, on a 2,890 mm wheelbase, with a kerb weight of 2,027 kg. It rides on 21-inch wheels with staggered rubber – 255/35 front and 275/35 rear – consistent with the Arachnid 2.0 forged wheel setup on the global Model Y Performance.
For reference, the Model Y Performance sold elsewhere uses Tesla’s Performance 4DU drive system with a combined output of 460 hp (343 kW), good for a 0-100 km/h time of 3.5 seconds. It’s distinguished by revised front and rear bumpers, a carbon-fibre rear spoiler (10% less drag, 64% less lift versus before), red brake callipers, adaptive damping and Performance-specific front seats with carbon-fibre cabin trim.
The Performance badge has been absent from China since the Juniper facelift launched there in January 2025 with just two variants. Even as Tesla expanded the local lineup to four – the RWD (from 263,500 yuan, approx RM156k), Long Range RWD, Long Range AWD and the six-seater Model Y L (339,000 yuan, approx RM200k) – the flagship never returned, despite the updated Performance debuting in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in August 2025 and North America two months later.
The filing’s public disclosure period runs from July 11 to 17, and vehicles that clear this process typically go on sale within a few months. Expect it to be priced above the Model Y L as the new flagship of the Chinese lineup.
As for Malaysia, the Juniper Model Y Performance has yet to be offered here, even as the local lineup has grown and shuffled over the past year. With Shanghai now certifying the Performance for its home market, the odds of the CBU China-sourced flagship eventually reaching our shores would appear to have improved. If Giga Shanghai builds the Model Y Performance, Malaysia would be able to import it as a significantly better tax rate than if it were to be sourced from Giga Berlin.
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