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Tesla Model Y completes the equation for the average household
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.
“…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.
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.
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.
Model Y towing a dirt bike. I think the towing package is going to come standard in the Model Y (at least in LR versions)
📷: Robert Rorschach https://t.co/fpFyxoaWlK thanks @AnythingTesla for the tip! pic.twitter.com/r7SfLd78px
— Tesletter (@tesletter) February 21, 2020
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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- Tesla Model Y trunk (Source: Thomas Andre Davik | Model Y Enthusiast Facebook Page)
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- Tesla Model Y extra storage under main trunk(Source: Josh Jones | Model Y Enthusiast Facebook Page)
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.
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How Tesla’s Roadster fan system and thrusters are built to dominate the corners
Tesla’s Roadster uses fans, active wings and cold gas thrusters to create grip at any speed.
Tesla’s new Roadster is best known for flipping through the air in Texas, but the technology that matters most for a race track is the stuff that keeps it on the ground. Tesla’s Roadster page describes a multi-mode fan and ground sealing system that acts as a downforce generator, pulling air out from beneath the car. Tesla says it provides enough suction to hold the vehicle upside down, even when stationary.
That is the key difference from the wings and diffusers on a normal supercar. Conventional aero only makes downforce when the car is moving, and it grows with speed, so a car has the least grip in the slow corners and under hard braking. A fan system makes downforce at any speed. Tesla’s patent, which we covered last year, describes fans and deployable skirts that create sealed or partially sealed regions under the car, with the fans extracting air to lower the pressure and increase grip and stability.
Still processing this … the most unreal thing I’ve seen. https://t.co/HtEuvnkZjY
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 16, 2026
Tesla pairs that with active wings, a next generation steer by wire system and a Track Mode that lowers the car and changes the suspension, with high downforce and low drag settings for the circuit. To keep weight down, Tesla points to magnesium, titanium and carbon fiber, manual controls and a fixed seat position, which it says lets the car respond to driver inputs almost instantly.
Tesla Roadster: Three configs, one can fly, 0-60 in 0.8 seconds
The cold gas thrusters are the other half. On the Thrust version they sit at the rear and Tesla says they take the car from 0 to 60 mph in under 0.9 seconds, while the Rocket version adds perimeter thrusters for forward, upward and lateral rotational movement. Tesla says the all electric actuators make micro adjustments within a fraction of a second.
Roadster transforms in Track Mode
These aero features aren’t just for looks: they provide the best passive downforce package of any road car (approaching F1 levels!) with wing actuation driven by the @Tesla_Optimus actuator system https://t.co/AqrC4qUga9
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 16, 2026
Musk has been talking about records for years. In June 2019 he said, “We’re going to do things with the new Roadster that are kind of unfair to other cars.” That September, when a follower asked whether the Roadster would beat the Nürburgring production car record, he replied with one word, “Absolutely,” as we reported at the time. In February 2024 he said Tesla had “radically increased the design goals” for the car and that its sub one second 0 to 60 time would be “the least interesting part.”
There are caveats. Tesla has not published a lap time or a verified cornering figure, so the record talk is still a promise rather than a result. Tesla also says the car is not approved for public road use, and the thruster features are limited to the Rocket trim, which is invite only. Fan cars have also been banned or withdrawn before, and getting a sealed underbody to work on a rough public road is a harder problem than on a smooth track. The first real test will be an official lap at a circuit.
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Tesla Roadster: Three configs, one can fly, 0-60 in 0.8 seconds
Tesla’s Roadster comes in Performance, Thrust and Rocket versions, with a claimed 0-60 under 0.59 seconds.
Tesla finally showed the next generation Roadster on Thursday night, and the demo had more in common with a SpaceX test than a track lap. At an event outside Waco, Texas, near SpaceX’s McGregor site, the car used a mix of fans and cold gas thrusters to drive up a curved ramp until it was upside down, then flew off, flipped and landed on the pavement. “Well, it worked,” Elon Musk said. “Flying cars are real.”
The Roadster also hovered itself over a Cybercab, Cybertruck, Tesla Semi, Model Y and Model 3 while moving, and that Tesla showed it going 0 to 60 mph in one second. Musk said “this will be the actual car that’s on the roads” and that it “literally is just going to puff itself up” to perform the maneuvers whenever an owner wants. He called the result a collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX engineers that is “better than any James Bond car,” with Franz von Holzhausen and Lars Moravy on site.
Tesla published new mind-blowing stats for the car that replace the previous targets. The Performance version is road ready and seats two, with active aerodynamics and a multi-mode suction system, and Tesla lists 0 to 60 mph in under 1.6 seconds. The Thrust version is race ready, also seats two, and adds rear-mounted cold gas thrusters for a 0 to 60 time of under 0.9 seconds. The Rocket version is described as air ready, seats one, and uses perimeter-mounted thrusters for forward and upward acceleration plus lateral rotational movement.
| Configuration | Seats | 0 to 60 mph |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 2 | under 1.6 s |
| Thrust | 2 | under 0.9 s |
| Rocket | 1 | under 0.59 s |
Tesla’s own description: “So…yes, it can fly.” It lists a 0 to 60 time of under 0.59 seconds for Rocket, a top speed of up to more than 230 mph, and range of more than 300 miles. Tesla has not yet given pricing in the information we have seen, but has reopened $50,000 reservations in the newly updated Tesla Roadster configurator. Production is planned for Giga Texas in 2027 or 2028, and Musk has said it would follow the demo by 12 to 18 months.
Every car on the road today is limited by one thing: tire grip
Roadster’s thruster system generates 4–5x the force the tires can.
More force on the same mass means significantly better acceleration – physics does the rest https://t.co/zdPRT2aKwZ
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 16, 2026
Tesla’s Roadster page adds more on how the car works. A multi-mode fan and ground sealing system pulls air from under the car, producing enough suction to hold it upside down even when stationary. Active wings, steer-by-wire with a yoke, and a Track Mode that lowers the car round out the driving setup. The cold gas thrusters use all-electric actuators for micro adjustments to stabilize the car in flight. Tesla says it cut weight with magnesium, titanium and carbon fiber, manual controls and a fixed seat position, and the exterior has hidden headlights, a full-length taillight and Ano White paint inspired by aerospace coatings. Inside are an Ultrawhite interior with gray microsuede, a center touchscreen and two smaller forward displays, and gold tinted glass modeled on spacesuit visors. Availability is tiered: Performance is by reservation, Thrust is a limited release, and Rocket is invite only. Tesla notes the car is not approved for public road use, and that Rocket is not available in all regions.
Tesla Roadster Highlights
- Aero and suction: a multi-mode fan and ground sealing system pulls air from under the car and can hold it upside down even when stationary. There are also active wings and a Track Mode that lowers the car.
- Controls and thrusters: steer-by-wire with a yoke. The cold gas thrusters use all-electric actuators for micro adjustments that stabilize the car in flight.
- Weight: magnesium, titanium and carbon fiber, manual controls and a fixed seat position.
- Design: hidden headlights, a full-length taillight, Ano White paint inspired by aerospace coatings, and gold tinted glass modeled on spacesuit visors.
- Interior: an Ultrawhite interior with gray microsuede, a center touchscreen and two smaller forward displays.
- Availability: Performance is by reservation, Thrust is a limited release, and Rocket is invite only.
- Road use: Tesla notes the car is not approved for public road use, and that Rocket isn’t available in all regions.
Musk has described the Roadster as “the best of the last of the human-driven cars,” and he has been open that it is a halo product. He said he is “not sure it moves the needle massively from a revenue standpoint,” and has warned that anyone whose top priority is safety should not buy it. Tesla reports third quarter earnings on October 21.
Roadster is a true pilot’s car: active aerodynamics, a multi-mode suction system & cold-gas thrusters
Exterior
– Concealed headlights, full-length taillight & flush-mounted surfaces for a minimalist, highly technical form– Super light wheels w/ thin spokes that reinforce structural strength when earthbound
– Ano White paint brings an aerospace-derived finish w/ UV & cryogenic protection, electrostatic dissipation & corrosion resistance
– Gold Glazed tinted glass mimicking the copper coating of spacesuit visors, w/ subtle titanium accents
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 16, 2026
Elon Musk
Amazon shuts out Elon Musk’s Grok Bot so he may just build his own rival store
Musk promises SpaceX will cover Grok Bot purchase errors, tells users to shop beyond Amazon.
Elon Musk said SpaceX will reimburse users if Grok Bot botches a purchase or leaks their card details. A few hours later he was telling users to take their shopping elsewhere after Amazon shut the agent out.
The first post was a reply to an X user who said Grok Bot booked him a flight after he sent a photo of his credit card. “This works well,” Musk wrote. “If Grok @Bot makes a mistake with a purchase or leaks your card (never happened yet), SpaceX will make you whole,” said Musk.
The second came after another user posted the error his Grok Bot hit on Amazon: “Continued access by an unauthorized AI agent violates Amazon’s Conditions of Use, to which our customers have agreed.” The user said his bots can no longer order from the site. Musk answered, “Just ask Grok @Bot to buy what you want someplace else and get a better deal. There are far more purchasing websites than just Amazon!” He later added, “Maybe we should start a competitor to Amazon,” a possible hint at an X shopping service.
Just ask Grok @Bot to buy what you want someplace else and get a better deal.
There are far more purchasing websites than just Amazon!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2026
The Amazon block did not start Thursday. A reply to Musk on October 10 said Amazon was blocking the bot, and Musk responded that Grok would find another way, then showed an order it placed on Lego’s website.
The latest reimbursement promise builds on late August when Musk told a Tesla investor weighing whether to give Grok Bot access to his bank accounts, “If Grok Bot messes up, we will make you whole,” as Teslarati covered when SpaceXAI added its Finance integration. That promise goes further than the company’s consumer terms, which make users responsible for what their agents do and generally cap liability at the greater of fees paid or $100. Neither Thursday post says those terms have changed, so for now it remains a statement on X rather than a published policy.
The two posts matter to Tesla owners because Grok Bot is no longer limited to a phone. Tesla brought it into its vehicles on September 22, and it is now enabled across every Cybercab and the rest of the Model Y Robotaxi fleet, as noted when Teslarati looked at why Grok Bot may be the Cybercab’s real advantage. A rider who asks for groceries or a coffee order is relying on retailers that let the agent in. Amazon has now said it will not, and Musk’s answer is to route around it.
Amazon has not commented publicly on the block in the posts Teslarati reviewed, and it is unclear whether Musk will follow through on a rival store.
So, how many of you do the vast majority of shopping on Amazon and hate that you do? Comment and let us know your thoughts!
How Tesla’s Roadster fan system and thrusters are built to dominate the corners
Tesla Roadster: Three configs, one can fly, 0-60 in 0.8 seconds
Amazon shuts out Elon Musk’s Grok Bot so he may just build his own rival store
The Pentagon taps Elon Musk to design the battlefield of the future
SpaceX reveals how its 1 Million AI satellite network will work and prevent space collisions
