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Tesla updates Model 3 with same premium textile material as Model S, X
Tesla Model 3 buyers first noted a material change for the vehicle’s interior trim from an Alcantara-like material to textile fabric. Though Tesla has never officially marketed the type of material used in Model 3’s interior, many would-be buyers, especially those who opted-in for the car’s Premium Upgrades package – a required upgrade for first production cars – too notice.
One of the things that truly stood out with the Model 3 was its minimalistic, elegant interior. In both the press kit of the vehicle on Tesla’s official website and the Model 3’s online configurator, images of the car with Premium Upgrades feature pillars that are fitted with what appears to be a suede-like fabric. Photos were taken of an early production Model 3, as featured in our DIY article on how to install a Model 3 dashcam, show an interior that’s covered in the premium Alcantara material.
While Tesla never specified the type of material it would use for the vehicle’s headliner and pillars; many Model 3 reservation holders were under the impression that Alcantara will be fitted in their car’s interior.
For a while, this seemed to be the case. First deliveries of the Model 3 featured a suede-like fabric on the interior of the mass market compact electric sedan. Earlier today, however, observations emerged in the forum community that newer batches of the Model 3 featured a different material for the car’s interior. Instead of having Alcantara in the vehicle’s headliner and pillars, the new batches of the electric vehicles were spotted with textile fabric.
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- Tesla Model 3 at the Palo Alto, CA store [Credit: Alex Guberman at E for Electric]
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- Tesla Model 3 with textile interior fabric at the Palo Alto, CA store [Credit: Alex Guberman at E for Electric]
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- Tesla Model 3 with textile interior fabric at the Palo Alto, CA store [Credit: Alex Guberman at E for Electric]
Tesla Model 3 with textile interior fabric at the Palo Alto, CA store [Credit: Alex Guberman at E for Electric]
A Tesla spokesperson confirmed with Teslarati that Model 3 will be produced with the same premium textile material that’s used in Model S and Model X vehicles.
“As we continue to increase production of Model 3 and produce more high quality cars for customers, all Model 3 vehicles are being made with the same premium textile headliner found in our flagship Model S and Model X vehicles, which has always been planned at this stage of production.”
It’s worth noting that changes in material with regards to the electric vehicles’ interior have also been done in the past, both on the Model S and Model X.
Tesla has been known to discontinue items, in its efforts to continuously upgrade and refine both the materials used in its fleet of vehicles, as well as the process by which these materials are applied to its fleet of electric vehicles. Being able to iterate quickly, in all regards, is what has allowed the Silicon Valley-based electric car maker to be able to scale as quickly as they have, while drastically improving upon the quality and feature sets of its vehicles over time.
Tesla streamlined its production process last year when the company consolidated the number of interior trim options made available on the Model X, after bundling popular configurations together. The same configurations later trickled down to Model S, along with a reduced set of battery offerings made available for both flagship cars. In that regard, the unification of headliner material from Alcantara to premium textile in Model 3, S and X makes a lot of sense.
Tesla owners have remarked that the textile used in the Model X, which is the same fabric used now in the Model 3, shares the same characteristics to the material used in the headliner of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. According to some Tesla owners that have experienced the material, the textile that Tesla fitted in its flagship Model S and Model X is not only durable; it’s really easy to clean as well.
Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L in the United States and Puerto Rico for $61,990. It is the longer-wheelbase version of the Model Y, and has been available in China since last year.
Tesla brings the Model Y L to the U.S. just months after it phased out the only pure SUV in its lineup, the Model X. It is slightly longer than the Model Y configurations that are already available in the U.S., and features a three-row, six-seat setup with Captain’s Chairs being among the many features that make this a truly fantastic offering.
The Model Y L is priced competitively at $61,990, and features 325 miles of range and a 0-60 MPH in just 4.4 seconds.
Tesla also added a handful of new features that are not available in even the Premium Model Y. Here’s a full list of its features:
- Heated/Ventilated Front Seats with Powered Thigh Cushion
- Heated/Ventilated Captain’s Seats in Second Row with Powered Armrests & One-Touch Fold
- Heated Third-Row Seats with Power Recline, One-Touch Fold & Child Seat Anchors
- Improved Airflow, Increased Efficiency, More Range
- 89 cubic feet of trunk space
- Upgraded Acoustic Glass and Suspension to Minimize Road Noise
- Adaptive Damping for a Smooth, Stable Ride
- Staggered Tires for Enhanced Grip
- Larger Tailgate for Better Rear Visibility and Bigger Windows Overall
- 16″ First Row and 8″ Second Row Touchscreens
- 19-Speaker Immersive Tesla Audio
- 50W Wireless Charging Pads with Active Cooling and Charging Ports for All Other Seats
- FSD Supervised and Integrated Grok AI
Tesla is also delivering these first units as a “Launch Series,” which comes with additional features, such as:
- Door Trim Puddle Lights
- Suede Dashboard Wing
- Exterior and Interior Badging
- Floor Mats
- Sill Plates
The launch of the Model Y L in the U.S. marks a huge offering from Tesla to U.S. consumers. People have been calling for Tesla to bring a larger car to the U.S., and it needed it more than ever now that the Model X is gone.
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- Credit: Tesla
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- Credit: Tesla
It is a huge accomplishment for Tesla to get the Model Y L to the U.S., and after reporting strong deliveries today, it will be interesting to see how this car impacts future quarterly delivery reports.
Deliveries for the Model Y L “Launch Series” are slated for September or October of this year.
Tesla just told us twice that the Model Y L is coming to the U.S., and two social media posts definitely just tipped the company’s hand, as if they wanted it to be any other way.
The two social media posts basically confirm that the slightly longer version of the Model Y will be heading to the United States soon, and many have speculated that the company could launch the vehicle as soon as this weekend.
The first post was directly from Tesla, and it showed an incredibly long Dachshund, with words above that said, “Looking forward to the long weekend.”
Looking forward to the long weekend pic.twitter.com/URzH6zOUdn
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 1, 2026
Anyone who knows Tesla knows the company loves to troll its fans and have fun, and this is a perfect example of that. While not a direct acknowledgement, Tesla is very involved on social media, especially CEO Elon Musk’s platform X, and the company is well aware of what is being discussed within the community.
With recent sightings of Model Y L test mules in California, peeks of the vehicle at Giga Texas, and a large call for the car to come to the U.S., Tesla is simply stoking conversation with this.
However, the company also made another move that was recognized on social media. Tesla has a large gallery that includes photos of its products so media and others can use them. This gallery applies to the U.S. market specifically, unless otherwise specified.
Tesla uploaded a Model Y L to the Gallery last night:
This looks like a Model Y L https://t.co/TpnBwrLmH9
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 2, 2026
This seems to be another indication that the Model Y L is coming to the United States.
Musk said last year that the Model Y L could make its way to the United States late this year, but it was not something that was set in stone by Tesla. The company definitely needs to establish something in the SUV market that is larger than the Model Y, and the Model Y L might be the answer.
Even still, there are consumers out there who would love Tesla to develop something even larger, like a competitor to the Tahoe or Expedition. Tesla has not really given much of an indication that it will go in that direction.
Tesla is using the vehicles’ internal microphones to improve build quality, Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy revealed recently.
It’s no secret that Tesla is always finding ways to make its manufacturing operations more efficient, accurate, and valuable. Constantly trying to make its cars better, the company has never placed any restrictions on what it will do to improve everything from panel gaps to paint.
As Teslas have been driving autonomously on the property of the Gigafactory Texas plant for a while now, Moravy revealed to Herbert Ong in a new interview that cars rolling off production lines now autonomously navigate themselves through a bumps, squeaks, and rattles (BSR) portion of the line. This helps to identify any loose or improperly installed internal parts.
The cabin’s microphones, which are used for a variety of things in ownership, simultaneously monitor any noises inside the vehicle while it rolls through the BSR portion of the production line. Moravy actually revealed that Tesla is trying to build “Full Self-Hearing,” an AI system that will detect minor imperfections so they can be corrected before delivery.
It’s no secret that build quality is something that Tesla struggled with as it scaled to a fully massive production operation that manufactures over 1.6 million vehicles per year. However, in recent years, especially, there have not been as many complaints. Tesla has truly improved upon its build quality and paint quality over the past several years, especially in the U.S.
Tesla’s ‘megacasts’ are key to massive build quality improvements
While those improvements have been evident, there are still some complaints; no automaker is perfect with this. But this step will now ensure that every single car that rolls off the production lines at Gigafactory Texas will be void of any creaks, squeaks, or squeals when it leaves the factory.
This measure is one of the most unique we’ve seen in terms of a strategy to avoid build quality issues, but it is not exclusive to Tesla.
Ford uses acoustic analysis AI to find abnormalities in seat motors, climate control units, and other components. Suppliers and OEMs will also use microphone arrays or particle velocity sensors in end-of-line stations.
The full interview with Lars Moravy is available below:
🚨 If you’re a Tesla investor, this is one interview you don’t want to skip. The full video posted below.
Jeff Lutz @thejefflutz and I sat down with Tesla VP of Engineering Lars Moravy, and it was packed with insights!
A few of the biggest takeaways:
• Cybercab is expected to… pic.twitter.com/fhYSr2dCqP
— Herbert Ong (@herbertong) July 1, 2026
Tesla brings Model Y L ‘Launch Series’ to the U.S. at $61,990
Tesla just told us twice that Model Y L is coming to the U.S.
