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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.

“…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.

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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:

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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.

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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Tesla Model Y and Model 3 named safest vehicles tested by ANCAP in 2025

According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025.

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Credit: ANCAP

The Tesla Model Y recorded the highest overall safety score of any vehicle tested by ANCAP in 2025. The Tesla Model 3 also delivered strong results, reinforcing the automaker’s safety leadership in Australia and New Zealand.

According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025. ANCAP’s 2025 tests evaluated vehicles across four key pillars: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist technologies.

The Model Y posted consistently strong results in all four categories, distinguishing itself through a system-based safety approach that combines structural crash protection with advanced driver-assistance features such as autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring. 

This marked the second time the Model Y has topped ANCAP’s annual safety rankings. The Model Y’s previous version was also ANCAP’s top performer in 2022.

The Tesla Model 3 also delivered a strong performance in ANCAP’s 2025 tests, contributing to Tesla’s broader safety presence across segments. Similar to the Model Y, the Model 3 also earned impressive scores across the ANCAP’s four pillars. This made the vehicle the top performer in the Medium Car category.  

ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg stated that the results highlight a growing industry shift toward integrated safety design, with improvements in technologies such as autonomous emergency braking and lane support translating into meaningful real-world protection.

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“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist. The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.

“We are also seeing increasing alignment between ANCAP’s test requirements and the safety technologies that genuinely matter on Australian and New Zealand roads. Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection,” Hoorweg said.

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Tesla Sweden uses Megapack battery to bypass unions’ Supercharger blockade

Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery.

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Credit: Tesla Charging/X

Tesla Sweden has successfully launched a new Supercharger station despite an ongoing blockade by Swedish unions, using on-site Megapack batteries instead of traditional grid connections. The workaround has allowed the Supercharger to operate without direct access to Sweden’s electricity network, which has been effectively frozen by labor action.

Tesla has experienced notable challenges connecting its new charging stations to Sweden’s power grid due to industrial action led by Seko, a major Swedish trade union, which has blocked all new electrical connections for new Superchargers. On paper, this made the opening of new Supercharger sites almost impossible.

Despite the blockade, Tesla has continued to bring stations online. In Malmö and Södertälje, new Supercharger locations opened after grid operators E.ON and Telge Nät activated the sites. The operators later stated that the connections had been made in error. 

More recently, however, Tesla adopted a different strategy altogether. Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery, as noted in a Dagens Arbete (DA) report. 

Because the Supercharger station does not rely on a permanent grid connection, Tesla was able to bypass the blocked application process, as noted by Swedish car journalist and YouTuber Peter Esse. He noted that the Arlandastad Supercharger is likely dependent on nearby companies to recharge the batteries, likely through private arrangements.

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Eight new charging stalls have been launched in the Arlandastad site so far, which is a fraction of the originally planned 40 chargers for the location. Still, the fact that Tesla Sweden was able to work around the unions’ efforts once more is impressive, especially since Superchargers are used even by non-Tesla EVs.

Esse noted that Tesla’s Megapack workaround is not as easily replicated in other locations. Arlandastad is unique because neighboring operators already have access to grid power, making it possible for Tesla to source electricity indirectly. Still, Esse noted that the unions’ blockades have not affected sales as much.

“Many want Tesla to lose sales due to the union blockades. But you have to remember that sales are falling from 2024, when Tesla sold a record number of cars in Sweden. That year, the unions also had blockades against Tesla. So for Tesla as a charging operator, it is devastating. But for Tesla as a car company, it does not matter in terms of sales volumes. People charge their cars where there is an opportunity, usually at home,” Esse noted. 

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Elon Musk’s X goes down as users report major outage Friday morning

Error messages and stalled loading screens quickly spread across the service, while outage trackers recorded a sharp spike in user reports.

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Credit: Linda Yaccarino/X

Elon Musk’s X experienced an outage Friday morning, leaving large numbers of users unable to access the social media platform.

Error messages and stalled loading screens quickly spread across the service, while outage trackers recorded a sharp spike in user reports.

Downdetector reports

Users attempting to open X were met with messages such as “Something went wrong. Try reloading,” often followed by an endless spinning icon that prevented access, according to a report from Variety. Downdetector data showed that reports of problems surged rapidly throughout the morning.

As of 10:52 a.m. ET, more than 100,000 users had reported issues with X. The data indicated that 56% of complaints were tied to the mobile app, while 33% were related to the website and roughly 10% cited server connection problems. The disruption appeared to begin around 10:10 a.m. ET, briefly eased around 10:35 a.m., and then returned minutes later.

Credit: Downdetector

Previous disruptions

Friday’s outage was not an isolated incident. X has experienced multiple high-profile service interruptions over the past two years. In November, tens of thousands of users reported widespread errors, including “Internal server error / Error code 500” messages. Cloudflare-related error messages were also reported.

In March 2025, the platform endured several brief outages spanning roughly 45 minutes, with more than 21,000 reports in the U.S. and 10,800 in the U.K., according to Downdetector. Earlier disruptions included an outage in August 2024 and impairments to key platform features in July 2023.

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