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Tesla’s ability to deliver the Model Y in various trims at launch is a big deal
The initial deliveries of the Tesla Model Y are about to begin, and as more reservation holders are advised to prepare for delivery, it is becoming more evident that the electric car maker has turned a new page when it comes to its production efficiencies. If Tesla’s first wave of emails to reservation holders are any indication, it appears that the Model Y ramp will be nothing like the Model 3’s rollout.
When the Model 3 started deliveries, Tesla only offered the vehicle in one variant and one interior option: Long Range RWD with black interior. This was done to make it easier for the company to produce the sedan, especially since it was a time when Tesla was still learning how to find its stride in the production of the electric car. It was a pretty good strategy, as it allowed Tesla to find its rhythm first with Long Range RWD production before it attempted to build other, more complex variants like the Model 3 Performance with white interior, which required two motors and a different interior trim.
Reservation holders who wanted a Performance Model 3, or a Dual Motor AWD, or those who opted for Tesla’s white interior, experienced an extended wait that lasted months. Tesla started delivering the Model 3 in the second half of 2017, and customers who wanted a Performance version ended up waiting until the middle of 2018 to receive their electric car. Canadian reservation holders were in for a long wait as well.
This gradual ramp does not seem to be happening with the Model Y. If Tesla’s emails to its reservation holders are any indication, it appears that the company is preparing to deliver not just the dual-motor AWD versions of the vehicle; Performance versions will be released this coming March as well. Apart from this, reservation holders who ordered both black and white interiors have been invited to set a delivery date. But this is not all. Reservation holders in Canada have also received notifications from Tesla, informing them of upcoming Model Y deliveries.
This is something that has never really happened before, at least not at this scale. The reason behind this has not been announced by the electric car maker, though a lot of it may have to do with the Model Y sharing 75% of its parts with the Model 3, Tesla’s highest-volume vehicle available today. Tesla has already optimized its Model 3 production capabilities, after all, to the point where the company can manufacture enough vehicles to address some of the electric car’s demand in other countries. As such, developing the Model Y line may not have been as much of a challenge for the electric car maker.
Tesla has already made a lot of headway in its vehicle production efficiencies over the years. It took a while for the company to refine its Model 3 production, and it is taking all these learnings in the Model Y’s ramp. This is represented by the Model Y’s design and large casts, which are seemingly intended to ensure that the all-electric crossover could be produced in a quick and efficient manner. These will ultimately allow the company to avoid the issues that befell the Model 3’s first iterations, which were faulted by teardown expert Sandy Munro for being far too complex and heavy than it needed to be.
Simply put, the Tesla that’s about to deliver the all-electric crossover today is a far different, far more mature company as the one that tried to mass-produce the Model 3 back in 2017. This ultimately bodes well for the Model Y, considering that CEO Elon Musk expects the vehicle to outsell the Model S, Model X, and Model 3 combined. This may also send some chills down the spine of rival automakers, as Tesla’s biggest disruptor yet may end up entering key markets at a speed and scale that’s never really been seen before.
Tesla’s new Full Self-Driving pricing strategy will eliminate one recurring complaint that many owners have had in the past: FSD transfers.
In the past, if a Tesla owner purchased the Full Self-Driving suite outright, the company did not allow them to transfer the purchase to a new vehicle, essentially requiring them to buy it all over again, which could obviously get pretty pricey.
This was until Q3 2023, when Tesla allowed a one-time amnesty to transfer Full Self-Driving to a new vehicle, and then again last year.
Tesla is now allowing it to happen again ahead of the February 14th deadline.
The program has given people the opportunity to upgrade to new vehicles with newer Hardware and AI versions, especially those with Hardware 3 who wish to transfer to AI4, without feeling the drastic cost impact of having to buy the $8,000 suite outright on several occasions.
Now, that issue will never be presented again.
Last night, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on X that the Full Self-Driving suite would only be available in a subscription platform, which is the other purchase option it currently offers for FSD use, priced at just $99 per month.
Tesla is shifting FSD to a subscription-only model, confirms Elon Musk
Having it available in a subscription-only platform boasts several advantages, including the potential for a tiered system that would potentially offer less expensive options, a pay-per-mile platform, and even coupling the program with other benefits, like Supercharging and vehicle protection programs.
While none of that is confirmed and is purely speculative, the one thing that does appear to be a major advantage is that this will completely eliminate any questions about transferring the Full Self-Driving suite to a new vehicle. This has been a particular point of contention for owners, and it is now completely eliminated, as everyone, apart from those who have purchased the suite on their current vehicle.
Now, everyone will pay month-to-month, and it could make things much easier for those who want to try the suite, justifying it from a financial perspective.
The important thing to note is that Tesla would benefit from a higher take rate, as more drivers using it would result in more data, which would help the company reach its recently-revealed 10 billion-mile threshold to reach an Unsupervised level. It does not cost Tesla anything to run FSD, only to develop it. If it could slice the price significantly, more people would buy it, and more data would be made available.
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Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominates U.S. EV market in 2025
The figures were detailed in Kelley Blue Book’s Q4 2025 U.S. Electric Vehicle Sales Report.
Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y continued to overwhelmingly dominate the United States’ electric vehicle market in 2025. New sales data showed that Tesla’s two mass market cars maintained a commanding segment share, with the Model 3 posting year-to-date growth and the Model Y remaining resilient despite factory shutdowns tied to its refresh.
The figures were detailed in Kelley Blue Book’s Q4 2025 U.S. Electric Vehicle Sales Report.
Model 3 and Model Y are still dominant
According to the report, Tesla delivered an estimated 192,440 Model 3 sedans in the United States in 2025, representing a 1.3% year-to-date increase compared to 2024. The Model 3 alone accounted for 15.9% of all U.S. EV sales, making it one of the highest-volume electric vehicles in the country.
The Model Y was even more dominant. U.S. deliveries of the all-electric crossover reached 357,528 units in 2025, a 4.0% year-to-date decline from the prior year. It should be noted, however, that the drop came during a year that included production shutdowns at Tesla’s Fremont Factory and Gigafactory Texas as the company transitioned to the new Model Y. Even with those disruptions, the Model Y captured an overwhelming 39.5% share of the market, far surpassing any single competitor.
Combined, the Model 3 and Model Y represented more than half of all EVs sold in the United States during 2025, highlighting Tesla’s iron grip on the country’s mass-market EV segment.
Tesla’s challenges in 2025
Tesla’s sustained performance came amid a year of elevated public and political controversy surrounding Elon Musk, whose political activities in the first half of the year ended up fueling a narrative that the CEO’s actions are damaging the automaker’s consumer appeal. However, U.S. sales data suggest that demand for Tesla’s core vehicles has remained remarkably resilient.
Based on Kelley Blue Book’s Q4 2025 U.S. Electric Vehicle Sales Report, Tesla’s most expensive offerings such as the Tesla Cybertruck, Model S, and Model X, all saw steep declines in 2025. This suggests that mainstream EV buyers might have had a price issue with Tesla’s more expensive offerings, not an Elon Musk issue.
Ultimately, despite broader EV market softness, with total U.S. EV sales slipping about 2% year-to-date, Tesla still accounted for 58.9% of all EV deliveries in 2025, according to the report. This means that out of every ten EVs sold in the United States in 2025, more than half of them were Teslas.
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Tesla Model 3 and Model Y earn Euro NCAP Best in Class safety awards
“The company’s best-selling Model Y proved the gold standard for small SUVs,” Euro NCAP noted.
Tesla won dual categories in the Euro NCAP Best in Class awards, with the Model 3 being named the safest Large Family Car and the Model Y being recognized as the safest Small SUV.
The feat was highlighted by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official account on social media platform X.
Model 3 and Model Y lead their respective segments
As per a press release from the Euro NCAP, the organization’s Best in Class designation is based on a weighted assessment of four key areas: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road User, and Safety Assist. Only vehicles that achieved a 5-star Euro NCAP rating and were evaluated with standard safety equipment are eligible for the award.
Euro NCAP noted that the updated Tesla Model 3 performed particularly well in Child Occupant protection, while its Safety Assist score reflected Tesla’s ongoing improvements to driver-assistance systems. The Model Y similarly stood out in Child Occupant protection and Safety Assist, reinforcing Tesla’s dual-category win.
“The company’s best-selling Model Y proved the gold standard for small SUVs,” Euro NCAP noted.
Euro NCAP leadership shares insights
Euro NCAP Secretary General Dr. Michiel van Ratingen said the organization’s Best in Class awards are designed to help consumers identify the safest vehicles over the past year.
Van Ratingen noted that 2025 was Euro NCAP’s busiest year to date, with more vehicles tested than ever before, amid a growing variety of electric cars and increasingly sophisticated safety systems. While the Mercedes-Benz CLA ultimately earned the title of Best Performer of 2025, he emphasized that Tesla finished only fractionally behind in the overall rankings.
“It was a close-run competition,” van Ratingen said. “Tesla was only fractionally behind, and new entrants like firefly and Leapmotor show how global competition continues to grow, which can only be a good thing for consumers who value safety as much as style, practicality, driving performance, and running costs from their next car.”
Tesla Full Self-Driving pricing strategy eliminates one recurring complaint
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominates U.S. EV market in 2025
