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The Tesla Model Y is sized just right, and this will help it stand tall against rivals
Tesla’s much-awaited Model Y has piqued the curiosity of green car aficionados but it has always been described as the chunkier sibling of the Model 3 sedan or the smaller next of kin of the Model X SUV. Recently, another prototype of the electric crossover was spotted in California and while it was covered, someone measured the height of the Model Y. It’s 65 inches tall, placing it right in the middle of its rivals in the premium crossover segment.
Redditor u/gamerlike took the initiative to inform Tesla fans asking about the dimensions of the Tesla Model Y he saw in Mountain View. If his measurements are accurate, the Model Y will just be an inch shorter than the Model X, which stands 66 inches. Meanwhile, the Model 3 electric sedan’s height is pegged at 56.8 inches.
Recently, there have been more and more sightings of Tesla Model Y release candidates across the United States. A white Model Y Performance variant sporting a seemingly production-ready exterior was seen in San Luis Obispo, CA. There was also a black Model Y with red brake calipers that was spotted cruising along the I-5 in Washington State.
As the market awaits the Tesla Model Y release date, one cannot help but be more excited and compare the all-electric crossover to its possible competitors.
The Tesla Model Y electric crossover will be offered in three variants. The Rear-Wheel Drive Long Range version will sell for $48,000 while a Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive Long Range will go for $52,000. The Performance version, meanwhile, will set customers back by $61,000. The electric carmaker has moved the production up from Fall 2020 to Summer 2020, or if speculations from the community are any indication, maybe even sooner.
Tesla positions the Model Y luxury crossover against other premium vehicles in its class such as the BMW X3, Audi Q5, or the Jaguar I-PACE. Likewise, it can be compared to more affordable competitors in the segment such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.
Tesla Model Y’s competitors are almost the same height. For example, the BMW X3 is 66 inches high while the Audi Q5 is 65 inches and the Jaguar I-PACE is a bit shorter at 61 inches. Meanwhile, the more affordable Honda CR-V stands at 66-67 inches and the RAV4 is a bit taller at 67-68 inches.
Price-wise, the Model Y is comparable to its premium rivals as well. The X3 will go for almost $42,000, the Audi Q5 will sell for around $43,000, and the Jaguar I-PACE will be at the higher end of the spectrum at almost $70,000. The Honda CR-V, meanwhile, will set back customers by $25,000 and the RAV4 will sell for around $26,000.
If the height of the vehicle will be a basis, we can fairly say that the Model Y will be comfortable with ample headroom and enough legroom just like other vehicles in its class. However, the Model Y might have an X-factor — it has a seven-seat option. The X3, Q5, I-PACE, and the more affordable CR-V and RAV4 do not.
The EV world is awaiting a glimpse of the Model Y interior and a test drive to determine if the Model Y’s extra seats at the back really work. Nevertheless, the presence of more seats can convince some customers that it’s the vehicle that fits their needs. Ask every mom or dad who has to deal with World War III when traveling with kids who are sharing the passenger seats. Extra seats mean world peace.
As of October 2019, crossovers consist 40.4% of light vehicle sales in the US followed by pickup trucks (17.6%) and small cars (11.6%) based on data compiled by Statista. The market has been shifting from sedans to compact SUVs for their good dose of comparable fuel efficiency with mid-sized cars and their higher seating positions.
One must take note that according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the Model Y will be sharing around 75% of the parts used for the Model 3. Expected demand for the Model Y is around 50 to 100% higher than the annual demand for the Model 3 as well. With the Model Y sharing the DNA of the Model 3, this might mean a more efficient production ramp.
Earlier this year, Forbes analyzed the potential of the Model Y for Tesla. Aside from the high demand stateside, one can only imagine how the Chinese and European markets would react to the electric crossover. In China, the Model 3 has created a loud buzz in the market, and it will likely serve as a catalyst to the country’s slumping automotive industry.
In Europe, the Gigafactory 4 in Brandenburg will play a crucial role in bringing Teslas to the region. Forbes predicts that Tesla will be able to deliver about 250,000 units of Model Y by 2022. According to the same analysis, the Model Y has the potential to bring in revenues amounting to $12 billion in the next 3 years.
While critics say the Tesla Model Y is just the chunkier version of the Model 3, it is clear that it has a ton of potential. It’s not a Cybertruck or a Roadster but it presents a good balance between form and function that really matters to car buyers, electric or otherwise.
Tesla has opened its northernmost Supercharger in Fairbanks, Alaska, with eight V4 stalls located in one of the most frigid cities in the U.S.
Located just 196 miles from the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks’s average temperature for the week was around -12 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there are plenty of Tesla owners in Alaska who have been waiting for more charging options out in public.
There are only 36 total Supercharger stalls in Alaska, despite being the largest state in the U.S.
Eight Superchargers were added to Fairbanks, which will eventually be a 48-stall station. Tesla announced its activation today:
North America’s northernmost Supercharger Fairbanks, AK (8 stalls) opened to public. https://t.co/M4l04DZ6B5 pic.twitter.com/zyL6bDuA93
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) December 12, 2025
The base price per kWh is $0.43 at the Fairbanks Supercharger. Thanks to its V4 capabilities, it can charge at speeds up to 325 kW.
Despite being the northernmost Supercharger in North America, it is not even in the Top 5 northernmost Superchargers globally, because Alaska is south of Norway. The northernmost Supercharger is in Honningsvåg, Norway. All of the Top 5 are in the Scandanavian country.
Tesla’s Supercharger expansion in 2025 has been impressive, and although it experienced some early-quarter slowdowns due to V3-to-V4 hardware transitions, it has been the company’s strongest year for deployments.
🚨🚨 Tesla Supercharging had a HUGE year, and they deserve to be recognized.
🍔 Opened Tesla Diner, a drive-in movie theater with awesome, Chef-curated cuisine
🔌 Gave access to Superchargers to several EV makers, including Hyundai, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Lucid, Toyota,… pic.twitter.com/yYT2QEbqoW
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 10, 2025
Through the three quarters of 2025, the company has added 7,753 stations and 73,817 stalls across the world, a 16 percent increase in stations and an 18 percent increase in stalls compared to last year.
Tesla is on track to add over 12,000 stalls for the full year, achieving an average of one new stall every hour, an impressive statistic.
Recently, the company wrapped up construction at its Supercharger Oasis in Lost Hills, California, a 168-stall Supercharger that Tesla Solar Panels completely power. It is the largest Supercharger in the world.
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Tesla shocks with latest Robotaxi testing move
Why Tesla has chosen to use a couple of Model S units must have a reason; the company is calculated in its engineering and data collection efforts, so this is definitely more than “we just felt like giving our drivers a change of scenery.”
Tesla Model S vehicles were spotted performing validation testing with LiDAR rigs in California today, a pretty big switch-up compared to what we are used to seeing on the roads.
Tesla utilizes the Model Y crossover for its Robotaxi fleet. It is adequately sized, the most popular vehicle in its lineup, and is suitable for a wide variety of applications. It provides enough luxury for a single rider, but enough room for several passengers, if needed.
However, the testing has seemingly expanded to one of Tesla’s premium flagship offerings, as the Model S was spotted with the validation equipment that is seen entirely with Model Y vehicles. We have written several articles on Robotaxi testing mules being spotted across the United States, but this is a first:
🚨 Tesla is using Model S vehicles fitted with LiDAR rigs to validate FSD and Robotaxi, differing from the Model Ys that it uses typically
Those Model Y vehicles have been on the East Coast for some time. These Model S cars were spotted in California https://t.co/CN9Bw5Wma8 pic.twitter.com/UE55hx5mdd
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 11, 2025
Why Tesla has chosen to use a couple of Model S units must have a reason; the company is calculated in its engineering and data collection efforts, so this is definitely more than “we just felt like giving our drivers a change of scenery.”
It seems to hint that Tesla could add a premium, more luxury offering to its Robotaxi platform eventually. Think about it: Uber has Uber Black, Lyft has Lyft Black. These vehicles and services are associated with a more premium cost as they combine luxury models with more catered transportation options.
Tesla could be testing the waters here, and it could be thinking of adding the Model S to its fleet of ride-hailing vehicles.
Reluctant to remove the Model S from its production plans completely despite its low volume contributions to the overall mission of transitioning the world to sustainable energy, the flagship sedan has always meant something. CEO Elon Musk referred to it, along with its sibling Model X, as continuing on production lines due to “sentimental reasons.”
However, its purpose might have been expanded to justify keeping it around, and why not? It is a cozy, premium offering, and it would be great for those who want a little more luxury and are willing to pay a few extra dollars.
Of course, none of this is even close to confirmed. However, it is reasonable to speculate that the Model S could be a potential addition to the Robotaxi fleet. It’s capable of all the same things the Model Y is, but with more luxuriousness, and it could be the perfect addition to the futuristic fleet.
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Rivian unveils self-driving chip and autonomy plans to compete with Tesla
Rivian, a mainstay in the world of electric vehicle startups, said it plans to roll out an Autonomy+ subscription and one-time purchase program, priced at $49.99 per month and $2,500 up front, respectively, for access to its self-driving suite.
Rivian unveiled its self-driving chip and autonomy plans to compete with Tesla and others at its AI and Autonomy Day on Thursday in Palo Alto, California.
Rivian, a mainstay in the world of electric vehicle startups, said it plans to roll out an Autonomy+ subscription and one-time purchase program, priced at $49.99 per month and $2,500 up front, respectively, for access to its self-driving suite.
CEO RJ Scaringe said it will learn and become more confident and robust as more miles are driven and it gathers more data. This is what Tesla uses through a neural network, as it uses deep learning to improve with every mile traveled.
He said:
“I couldn’t be more excited for the work our teams are driving in autonomy and AI. Our updated hardware platform, which includes our in-house 1600 sparse TOPS inference chip, will enable us to achieve dramatic progress in self-driving to ultimately deliver on our goal of delivering L4. This represents an inflection point for the ownership experience – ultimately being able to give customers their time back when in the car.”
At first, Rivian plans to offer the service to personally-owned vehicles, and not operate as a ride-hailing service. However, ride-sharing is in the plans for the future, he said:
“While our initial focus will be on personally owned vehicles, which today represent a vast majority of the miles to the United States, this also enables us to pursue opportunities in the rideshare space.”
The Hardware
Rivian is not using a vision-only approach as Tesla does, and instead will rely on 11 cameras, five radar sensors, and a single LiDAR that will face forward.
It is also developing a chip in-house, which will be manufactured by TSMC, a supplier of Tesla’s as well. The chip will be known as RAP1 and will be about 50 times as powerful as the chip that is currently in Rivian vehicles. It will also do more than 800 trillion calculations every second.
Meet the Rivian Autonomy Processor.
Fast, smart, scalable and purpose-built for autonomous driving and the world of physical AI. Hitting the open road in 2026. pic.twitter.com/0wYXi5WKy7
— Rivian (@Rivian) December 11, 2025
RAP1 powers the Autonomy Compute Module 3, known as ACM3, which is Rivian’s third-generation autonomy computer.
ACM3 specs include:
- 1600 sparse INT8 TOPS (Trillion Operations Per Second).
- The processing power of 5 billion pixels per second.
- RAP1 features RivLink, a low-latency interconnect technology allowing chips to be connected to multiply processing power, making it inherently extensible.
- RAP1 is enabled by an in-house developed AI compiler and platform software
As far as LiDAR, Rivian plans to use it in forthcoming R2 cars to enable SAE Level 4 automated driving, which would allow people to sit in the back and, according to the agency’s ratings, “will not require you to take over driving.”
More Details
Rivian said it will also roll out advancements to the second-generation R1 vehicles in the near term with the addition of UHF, or Universal Hands-Free, which will be available on over 3.5 million miles of roadway in the U.S. and Canada.
More than any other feature, our owners have asked for more hands-free miles.
With Universal Hands-Free, you can now enjoy hands-free assisted driving on any road with clearly defined lanes. That’s roughly 3.5 million miles in the U.S. and Canada.
Look for it in our next… pic.twitter.com/ZFhwVzvt6b
— Rivian (@Rivian) December 11, 2025
Rivian will now join the competitive ranks with Tesla, Waymo, Zoox, and others, who are all in the race for autonomy.
Tesla’s northernmost Supercharger in North America opens
Tesla shocks with latest Robotaxi testing move
