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Tesla raises prices of Model Y cars in the US for the first time in two years
Tesla raised Model Y prices by up to $1,000 on premium trims, while leaving base versions unchanged to protect affordability and margins.
On Saturday, May 16, 2026, Tesla increased prices on its premium Model Y trims by $500 to $1,000 in the United States, while keeping base models unchanged to preserve affordability.
This decision ends a prolonged period of aggressive price cuts that defined Tesla's strategy throughout 2024 and 2025, signaling confidence that demand has stabilized for higher trims.
The Model Y Premium RWD and AWD now start at $45,990 and $49,990, positioning them above the Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD and Ford Mustang Mach-E Select AWD .
By protecting base pricing, Tesla avoids alienating price-sensitive customers while extracting more revenue from higher-margin configurations after automotive gross margins dropped below 18 percent by mid-2025.
Tesla is betting that the Model Y's brand strength and Supercharger network still command a premium, even as competitors like Ford and Hyundai aggressively price their SUVs lower.