A mysterious-looking white Model Y was spotted cruising on a city street in China. The car looks freakishly small Tesla Model Y has sent the internet Tesla community into a frenzy.
X user @zhongwen2005 shared a picture with a cheeky caption saying the new smaller model Y was spotted testing on a road in China.
The image shows what appears to be a pint-sized Tesla Model Y sporting suspicious proportions, matte black wheels, and… wait, are these handles real? Let’s break down this f(re)akish story for you!
Cheaper Tesla Model Y Is Here
At first glance, the now-viral photo seems like a real upcoming Tesla prototype like the ones we shared in our earlier post. However, when you look closely, you understand it is not the real deal.
This is not a leaked Tesla testing vehicle that will soon hit the market. This car is a mini version of the famous Tesla Model Y available on the Chinese platform Temu.
The vehicle features a silhouette vaguely similar to the Tesla Model Y, but everything else is… just off. The taillights look stretched almost cartoonishly, and the wheelbase is freakishly short. The imitation model is still able to grab your attention when you look at it with half-closed eyes.
New smaller model y spotted testing on the road
😳😳🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/fryrMn7tas— 大趙 (@zhongwen2005) May 19, 2025
Either way, it’s fake, and the internet is loving every second of the sweet confusion the image has brought to its fans.
There’s a plastic badge placement reminiscent of Tesla’s real Model Y, and blacked-out wheels scream a loud “aftermarket-bought” more than Elon Musk’s made.
This Is Not The First Fake
This isn’t the first time fake Tesla Model Y sightings have made the social media rounds. We’ve seen Photoshopped images of upcoming Tesla cars, fake Tesla motorcycles, and unrealistic concept sketches in the past that look like a Batmobile.
Here’s a YouTube video that shows a similar (fake) Tesla Model Y that costs quite less than what Tesla plans to bring with its cheaper version.
Some have even gone the extra mile, modifying existing cars to resemble Teslas like this one. You might remember the popular Dongfeng E-Truck that looked quite like the Cybertruck, or the Shenlan SL03 that looks like a copy-paste version of the Tesla Model 3.
From aftermarket upgrades to glued-on Tesla logos to pickup trucks painted to mimic Cybertruck’s sharp angles, Teslas are popular at becoming meme-worthy—sometimes even instantly trendsetting.
The line between a fake and confusion is still evident to the naked eye, but the community still eats it up.
Affordable Tesla Model Y
Tesla has long teased a $25k EV, one that is more affordable for the masses. The social media updates and rumors say that it will come on the same platform as a compact hatchback or crossover designed for China and Europe.
So when an image like this pops up, even with clear, bold signs of fakery, the image does hit a nerve.
Why People Fell For It?
There’s always a hunger for the next big or even a small news from Tesla or Elon Musk. Even a small update on anything related to Tesla’s big plans can easily ignite excitement and speculation. Tesla fans are eager, and trolls are sitting ready to exploit even a tiny occasion and opportunity.
Whether it was created for traction, laughs, or to stir some confusion, this mini version of Model Y will bring a smile to everyone’s face. So, to whoever cooked up this visual comedy, we say, Bravo.
And to everyone who even for a moment believed it, please don’t feel bad. We’ve all been there. It might look like a Model Y, walk like a Model 3, but still stay a knockoff of the real deal.
Bottomline
While Tesla hasn’t officially released a bite-sized Model Y in China, Tesla is working on its cheaper, mass-market EV. CEO Elon Musk himself has confirmed that the work is ongoing at the Giga Mexico and Giga Texas facilities.
If all goes to plan, a cheaper Tesla would definitely bring heaps of profits to the EV automaker. Just don’t expect it to look like this hilarious knockoff!
