Camouflaged Tesla Model Y spotted in China — but why?

A Tesla Model Y covered in camouflage was spotted near Gigafactory Shanghai, China. What motivated Tesla in camouflaging a car that is already in production in the United States and has tons of pictures and videos online, no one knows the exact answer yet.

But there can be several pieces of speculation around it, both interesting and somewhat bogus. Let’s first jump on the video that hit Twitter showing a camouflaged Tesla Model Y electric SUV.

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A camouflaged Model Y is spotted being road tested in Lingang FTZ, where Giga Shanghai is located. pic.twitter.com/BkmMCKNzfc

— Ray4Tesla⚡️🚘☀️🔋 (@ray4tesla) November 22, 2020

One reason in my own opinion would be that Tesla just wants to create some hype around Tesla Model Y and because it is an SUV that is a more popular body style in China, this can be said by looking at the popularity of the Tesla Model X in the country. This hype and excitement before the Model Y production start at Giga Shanghai will help in accelerating its sales.

Some Tesla enthusiasts on social media channels think that the single-piece front and rear castings of the Model Y might have a somewhat different design which Tesla is hiding here, this is a wild guess IMO. The following replies to this theory on Twitter were given under the above video thread:

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pic.twitter.com/VvDh9rIg0k

— Phrases.for.Sale シ (@NamesOfLondon) November 22, 2020

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I think they are the current design, but not the design they will use with the structural battery pack (below)

that needs the new cells, but will be what they build from day-1 in Berlin, from what I understand

but it was a good illustration of how you won't see the cast parts pic.twitter.com/kRntxHbyOg

— Phrases.for.Sale シ (@NamesOfLondon) November 26, 2020

Some more images of this camouflaged Model Y appeared in another Twitter thread from a Chinese Tesla enthusiast.

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We take a closer look at the #MICModelY 🚗as it appears on a road test near the Shanghai factory.The camouflaged Model Y is wrapped around the outside and the car's interior looks camouflaged as well. What's the difference between the MIC 🇨🇳🚗version and the US🇺🇸🚗 version, folks pic.twitter.com/yR8JzmPtiu

— 乌瓦 (@bentv_sh) November 24, 2020

Interestingly, the wheels are also camouflaged here, when Tesla launched Model 3 in China last year, it was spotted with a new wheel design and a carbon fiber spoiler. It is totally possible that Tesla might introduce a new wheel design and some other goodies in China that differentiate the US version from the Chinese one.

The same camouflaged Model Y was seen driving into Gigafactory Shanghai earlier this month, according to the observer, Tesla is testing it for Chinese roads and localization analysis.

Tesla estimates the Model Y production start at Giga Shanghai next year and hopefully the mystery surrounding this camouflage will be solved much before the deliveries begin, stay tuned.

Let us know what you think might be the reason behind the Model Y camouflage in China in the comments section below.

Related: Camouflaged with a “Not Model Y” meme-sticker, Tesla Model Y hits Europe with early deliveries

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