Tesla Model Y Performance Sells Out for 2025 in US
Demand for the ‘Tesla Model Y Performance’ has exceeded production capacity for the remainder of 2025 in the United States, pushing new orders to delivery windows in January and February 2026. This development underscores the model’s enduring appeal amid a broader electric vehicle market facing sales slowdowns, with overall US EV registrations dropping 30.3 percent year-over-year in October to 74,835 units. Tesla’s high-performance variant, equipped with dual electric motors delivering 510 horsepower and a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 3.5 seconds, continues to attract buyers despite industry-wide challenges including subsidy uncertainties and charging infrastructure gaps.
The ‘Model Y Performance’ features a 320-mile EPA-estimated range on a 75 kWh battery pack, supported by Tesla’s Supercharger network that enables up to 170 miles of added range in 15 minutes. Production at Tesla’s Fremont factory in California and Gigafactory Texas has prioritized this trim, with quarterly output for the Model Y lineup reaching over 100,000 units in Q3 2025. Buyers opting for the all-wheel-drive configuration benefit from advanced features like adaptive air suspension, which adjusts ride height by up to 0.5 inches for improved aerodynamics and handling, contributing to a drag coefficient of 0.23.
This sell-out occurs as Tesla navigates a competitive landscape, where rivals like General Motors and Ford report inventory backlogs for their EV offerings. Cox Automotive data indicates that while EV market share held at 10.5 percent through September 2025, totaling more than 1 million units, the segment’s growth has stalled from 8.1 percent in 2024. Tesla’s direct-to-consumer sales model bypasses traditional dealership delays, allowing real-time inventory updates that reflect the Performance trim’s rapid depletion since mid-November.
Industry analysts attribute the strong uptake to the model’s integration of Full Self-Driving capability, priced at an additional $8,000, which includes features like automatic lane changes and Navigate on Autopilot. The vehicle’s 5.0-star NHTSA safety rating, bolstered by eight airbags and automatic emergency braking, further enhances its position. With base pricing starting at $51,490 before incentives, the Performance variant qualifies for the federal $7,500 tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act for eligible buyers meeting income thresholds of $300,000 for joint filers.
Looking ahead, Tesla plans a mid-cycle refresh for the Model Y in 2026, incorporating elements from the updated ‘Model 3 Highland’ such as a rear touchscreen for passengers and ventilated front seats. Factory expansions in Texas aim to boost annual capacity to 1.1 million units across all Model Y variants. This backlog signals robust consumer confidence in Tesla’s ecosystem, even as broader EV adoption grapples with policy shifts and raw material constraints affecting battery production.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Auto Show highlights competing newcomers like the ‘2026 Jeep Recon’, a Trail Rated electric SUV with 230 miles of range starting at $65,000, and the ‘Lucid Gravity’ three-row SUV offering up to 450 miles for $80,000. The ‘2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N’ performance sedan promises 257 miles and arrives early next year. These debuts contrast with Tesla’s inventory success, illustrating divergent strategies in a market projected to reach 26 percent EV penetration by 2035 according to BloombergNEF forecasts.
Tesla’s achievement arrives at a pivotal moment for the US automotive sector, where legacy manufacturers pivot toward hybrids amid softening pure EV demand. Ford’s F-150 Lightning sales fell 40 percent in Q3, while GM’s Ultium platform vehicles like the ‘Chevy Equinox EV’ struggle with pricing above $35,000. Tesla’s vertical integration, from in-house battery cells to software updates over-the-air, maintains a 50 percent US EV market share through the third quarter.
As deliveries shift into 2026, prospective buyers face extended waits, prompting some to explore inventory models or lower trims like the Long Range variant with 310 miles of range. Tesla’s referral program offers up to $1,000 in credits, potentially offsetting costs for new orders. This surge reinforces the Model Y’s status as America’s top-selling EV, with over 400,000 units delivered domestically in 2025 to date.
