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Tesla Model Y completes the equation for the average household

Tesla Model Y crossover (Credit: Tesla)

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Tesla Model Y’s performance and practicality will complete the equation for households in the US, China, and beyond.

In the United States, demand for crossovers has increased over the last two decades. Crossovers only accounted for about 4% of vehicle sales in 2000 and meteorically rose to roughly 40 percent of US sales in 2018. In China, the biggest automotive market in the world, the picture is basically the same as more people veer away from light vehicles and go for crossovers and SUVs. Tesla will answer the need of households for a vehicle that presents a good balance between a sedan and an SUV.

The Model Y makes sense for families looking for a bigger ride (but not as big as full-sized SUVs) that offers more space for people and cargo while not burning a big hole in one’s bank account. The Model Y is perfect for families leading an active lifestyle or for those looking for a second vehicle that complements their daily driver such as a Model 3. The Model Y is not just a chunkier Model 3. The electric crossover answers these needs of the average household and has the potential to become another cash cow for Tesla to help it achieve consistent profitability.

Tesla Model Y’s range and efficiency were highlighted during the Q4 2019 earnings call of the Silicon Valley-based electric carmaker.  CEO Elon Musk told the electric vehicle community that the Model Y now boasts the highest energy efficiency rating among electric SUVs at 4.1 miles per kWh and has an EPA rating of 315 miles on a single charge. Tesla has started limited volume production in January and expects to make first deliveries of the electric crossover on March 15.

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“…make sure we get that production ramp going and reach volume production as soon as possible with Model Y. Yes, go as fast we can with Model Y and make sure it’s a great product. I think there are some things that will differentiate it. I think… when people do a teardown of the Model Y, I think they will be impressed about some of the things they see,” Musk said during the Q4 2019 earnings call.

While a Model Y teardown is still a long shot, the latest sightings of the much-awaited electric crossover show why the vehicle can be a practical choice for people on the go or families with an active lifestyle.

Tesla Model Y Roof Rack

A Tesla Model Y with roof rack was recently spotted along the State Route 237 in Sunnyvale, California. The sighting gives Model Y fans a glimpse of how roof-mounted rails will look on the electric crossover.

The video posted by RKT on YouTube shows a roof rack that reminds one of the currently available Model 3 roof rack that can easily be installed by securing four mounting points on the all-glass roof of the vehicle. With the Model Y sharing roughly 75% of its DNA with the Model 3, there’s a high possibility that a similar roof rack for the Model Y will be sold by Tesla.

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With a roof rack, the Model Y can be a perfect road trip vehicle for a group of five or even seven bringing bikes, skis, other sports gear, or cargo boxes. The average maximum load rating or roof racks is around 150 lbs.

Check out RTK’s video of the Model Y with a roof rack:

Tesla Model Y Towing

Last December, a Tesla Model Y with a clearly visible tow hitch was spotted hinting that the all-electric crossover would be perfect for towing small trailers or campers for families who love the outdoors.

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Just last week, another Model Y was seen on the road, this time towing a dirt bike. An image originally captured by Rober Rorschach was shared on Twitter by @Testletter.

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This is another great demonstration of how the upcoming electric crossover is ideal for people who lead an active lifestyle. It is not yet confirmed if the Model Y will come standard with a tow hitch or if it will come as an option but it is a clear indication that Tesla’s testing such feature and it knows how the crossover could be used by the electric vehicle community. Model 3 in Europe comes with an option for a tow hitch but this option is not available in North America.

Tesla Model Y Spacious Trunk Storage

It has been highlighted how Tesla seems to haven been underpromising and overdelivering when it comes to Model Y and this strategy can clearly upset the naysayers of the electric carmaker. The Model Y, according to Tesla will have higher gross margins than Model 3 and Elon Musk even predicts that it can outsell its other vehicles in the lineup. And with Model Y sightings slowly revealing the details of how the vehicle can be so useful for people. The 2nd-row seats that can be individually folded are a stroke of design genius in terms of practicality but it can be clearly seen now that Tesla paid attention to the details that matter most to consumers.

New Model Y images that surfaced over the weekend show that the Model Y also offers generous space in its trunk and there could also be additional space under the main trunk. The order page on the Tesla website indicates that the vehicle will have a max cargo volume of 66 cu.ft. making it comparable to the amount of cargo the more affordable Honda CR-V can carry and offers a bit more space than its touted rival Ford Mustang Mach-E that comes with 59.6 cubic feet of room.

Below are the images of the Model Y trunk first posted by Thomas Andre Davik on the Tesla Model Y Enthusiast Facebook Page and the extra storage below the main trunk photo by Josh Jones on the same fan page:

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The latest images also clearly show that the second-row seats offer generous headroom and that the spacious trunk can easily be reconfigured to give enough space for the third-row seats to allow the vehicle to carry seven adults. And that is another practicality factor that can help the Model Y stand tall against its rivals.

 

A curious soul who keeps wondering how Elon Musk, Tesla, electric cars, and clean energy technologies will shape the future, or do we really need to escape to Mars.

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Energy

Tesla Energy gains UK license to sell electricity to homes and businesses

The license was granted to Tesla Energy Ventures Ltd. by UK energy regulator Ofgem after a seven-month review process.

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Credit: Tesla Energy/X

Tesla Energy has received a license to supply electricity in the United Kingdom, opening the door for the company to serve homes and businesses in the country.

The license was granted to Tesla Energy Ventures Ltd. by UK energy regulator Ofgem after a seven-month review process.

According to Ofgem, the license took effect at 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday and applies to Great Britain.

The approval allows Tesla’s energy business to sell electricity directly to customers in the region, as noted in a Bloomberg News report.

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Tesla has already expanded similar services in the United States. In Texas, the company offers electricity plans that allow Tesla owners to charge their vehicles at a lower cost while also feeding excess electricity back into the grid.

Tesla already has a sizable presence in the UK market. According to price comparison website U-switch, there are more than 250,000 Tesla electric vehicles in the country and thousands of Tesla home energy storage systems.

Ofgem also noted that Tesla Motors Ltd., a separate entity incorporated in England and Wales, received an electricity generation license in June 2020.

The new UK license arrives as Tesla continues expanding its global energy business.

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Last year, Tesla Energy retained the top position in the global battery energy storage system (BESS) integrator market for the second consecutive year. According to Wood Mackenzie’s latest rankings, Tesla held about 15% of global market share in 2024.

The company also maintained a dominant position in North America, where it captured roughly 39% market share in the region.

At the same time, competition in the energy storage sector is increasing. Chinese companies such as Sungrow have been expanding their presence globally, particularly in Europe.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk shares big Tesla Optimus 3 production update

According to Musk, Tesla is in the final stages of completing Optimus 3, which he described as one of the world’s most advanced humanoid robots.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that production of Optimus 3 could begin this summer. Musk shared the update in his interview at the Abundance Summit.

According to Musk, Tesla is in the final stages of completing Optimus 3, which he described as one of the world’s most advanced humanoid robots.

“We’re in the final stages of completion of Optimus 3, which is really going to be by far the most advanced robot in the world. Nothing’s even close. In fact, I haven’t even seen demos of robots that are as good as Optimus 3,” Musk said.

He also set expectations on the pace of Optimus 3’s production ramp, stating that the initial volumes of the humanoid robot will likely be very low. Musk did, however, also state that high production rates for Optimus 3 should be possible in 2027. 

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“I think we’ll start production on Optimus 3 this summer, but very slow at first, like sort of this classic S-curve ramp of manufacturing units versus time. And then, probably reach high volume production around summer next year,” he said.

Interestingly enough, the CEO hinted that Tesla is looking to iterate on the robot quickly, potentially releasing a new Optimus design every year.

“We’ll have Optimus 4 design complete next year. We’ll try to release a new robot design every year,” Musk stated.

Tesla has already outlined broader plans for scaling Optimus production beyond its first manufacturing line. Musk previously stated that Optimus 4 will be built at Gigafactory Texas at significantly higher production volumes.

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Initial production lines for the robot are expected to be located at Tesla’s Fremont Factory, where the company plans to establish a line capable of producing up to 1 million robots per year.

A larger production ramp is expected to occur at Gigafactory Texas, where Musk has previously suggested could eventually support production of up to 10 million robots per year.

“We’re going to launch on the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever, starting with building a one-million-unit production line in Fremont. And that’s Line one. And then a ten million unit per year production line here,” Musk said previously.

The comments suggest that while Optimus 3 will likely begin production at Fremont, Tesla’s larger-scale manufacturing push could arrive with Optimus 4 at Gigafactory Texas.

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Elon Musk

Tesla showcases Optimus humanoid robot at AWE 2026 in Shanghai

Tesla’s humanoid robot was presented as part of the company’s exhibit at the Shanghai electronics show.

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Credit: Tesla/YouTube

Tesla showcased its Optimus humanoid robot at the 2026 Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE 2026) in Shanghai. The event opened Thursday and featured several Tesla products, including the company’s humanoid robot and the Cybertruck.

The display was reported by CNEV Post, citing information from local media outlet Cailian and on-site staff at the exhibition.

Tesla’s humanoid robot was presented as part of the company’s exhibit at the Shanghai electronics show. On-site staff reportedly stated that mass production of the robot could begin by the end of 2026.

Tesla previously indicated that it plans to manufacture its humanoid robots at scale once production begins, with its initial production line in the Fremont Factory reaching up to 1 million units annually. An Optimus production line at Gigafactory Texas is expected to produce 10 million units per year. 

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Tesla China previously shared a teaser image on Weibo showing a pair of highly detailed robotic hands believed to belong to Optimus. The image suggests a design with finger proportions and structures that closely resemble those of a human hand.

Robotic hands are widely considered one of the most difficult engineering challenges in humanoid robotics. For a system like Optimus to perform complex real-world tasks, from factory work to household activities, the robot would require highly advanced dexterity.

Elon Musk has previously stated that Optimus has the capability to eventually become the first real-world example of a Von Neumann machine, a self-replicating system capable of building copies of itself, even on other planets. “Optimus will be the first Von Neumann machine, capable of building civilization by itself on any viable planet,” Musk wrote in a post on X.

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