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Tesla owner gets rare Model Y interior tour after spotting crossover while Supercharging
One lucky Tesla owner had the rare opportunity to go inside a Model Y and give their account of how the interior of the all-electric crossover compares to their Model 3 sedan.
Michael Hughes, who goes by the handle @mickthughes on Twitter, shared his experience with the Model Y after spotting it at the San Luis Obispo Supercharger station on the central coast of California. According to the Model 3 owner, the Tesla employee that was driving the Model Y allowed him to briefly explore the vehicle’s front and second-row seating. “I got to sit in front passenger and back passenger seats,” noted Hughes, adding that the vehicle had an “amazing layout/storage space & seating.”
Model Y sighting second day in a row. Got to talk and see the entire inside (no pics by request). Car will be in Jay Leno show soon! Amazing layout/ storage space & seating. Got to sit in it. @Model3Owners @Teslarati @ElectrekCo @TeslaPodcast @thirdrowtesla @ModelYNews pic.twitter.com/2euhELzxg0
— Michael Hughes (@mickthughes) January 19, 2020
Hughes wasn’t able to snap photos of the Model Y’s interior upon the request of the Tesla employee but was able to share some interesting details about the crossover.
According to the Model 3 owner, the Model Y’s front looks very similar to the mass-produced sedan up close but the back clearly differed. Hughes also pointed out Model Y’s glass roof that no crossbeam, making for an expansive and unobstructed overhead view. The interior is far roomier than the Model 3 and its rear seats can accommodate three adult passengers comfortably, according to Hughes.
The storage of the Model Y is also bigger than that of the Model 3. The speakers have been moved to free more side storage. He also noticed that the seats can “power” fold with a press of a button.
A recent sighting of the Model Y next to a Model X revealed how the size of the crossover is surprisingly close to the Tesla SUV. The Model Y was almost as tall as the Model X, which has a standard height of 66 inches. The width of the two vehicles shows that the flagship SUV is larger than the Model Y but it appears Tesla was able to design the upcoming crossover to have a roomy interior despite sharing most of its DNA with the smaller Model 3 sedan.
The Tesla Model Y that Hughes checked out at the charging station did not have a third-row seat but he noticed a space that might be allotted for the optional configuration. Over the weekend, a Japanese blog posted a new photo of the Tesla Model Y third-row seats and there were also car seat rails that will allow occupants to adjust the second-row seats to provide comfortable legroom for the occupants at the rearmost passenger seats. With third-row seats, the Model Y will be able to accommodate seven passengers, perhaps a big advantage over its competitors such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and the Jaguar I-PACE that’s designed to seat five passengers.
Its huge. Seriously, not model X but completely different and open from my 3. There are two under storage compartments. A big one like model 3 just bigger and a second one!!!! But more for aesthetics than storage space but would fit briefcase, etc
— Michael Hughes (@mickthughes) January 19, 2020
The Model Y isn’t just a chunkier Model 3 and a smaller Model Y but it’s sounding that it will have a character of its own. The Tesla Model Y’s CARB certification was recently published, hinting that deliveries might come sooner than expected. Model Y production was initially planned to begin Summer 2020 but now expected to begin as early as this quarter.
The Model Y will be sold in three variants. The Rear-wheel Drive Long Range version will go for $48,000 while the Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive Long Range and Performance versions will sell for $52,000 and $62,000, respectively, before potential savings.
Tesla will resolve its massive recall of nearly three million vehicles in China with stickers and a software update.
On Friday, Chinese regulators filed recall plans against Tesla, Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, Chery, Geely, Dongfeng, Arcfox, and FAW to resolve what is essentially a carbon-copy issue throughout each of the companies’ vehicle models: emergency door release latches are simply not visible enough.
Tesla door handle saga gets its latest chapter and a big change is coming
The companies will be required to add things that will make these latches, which will open the door in the event of an emergency, more visible. Of the 7 million vehicles impacted, Tesla accounts for 2,975,910 units. More than 1.9 million of those are Model Y vehicles, with the rest, just over 970,000, being Model 3s.
To resolve the issue, Tesla is going to add warning labels to the emergency latches free of charge, and then utilize an Over-the-Air update to add a post-crash window-lowering strategy, according to CNEVpost.
This massive effort to fix the all-electric Model Y and Model 3’s emergency latch system comes just months after several probes across various markets identified the trouble some had identifying this latch. Those who had gotten involved in car accidents that stripped the vehicle of its power were not aware that every Tesla has emergency door latches.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said that severe crashes that disable a vehicle’s low-voltage system could not only hinder occupants from getting out, but also make it more difficult for emergency response workers to gain entry.
SAMR is starting to tighten the regulations it has on door handles on vehicles. A new mandatory national standard will take effect for all models starting January 1, 2027, and will require all doors to be equipped with mechanical release mechanisms. This will effectively end purely electronic door handles. Models already on sale with type approval have been granted a two-year transition period, which will enable things to change until January 2029.
Tesla has officially confirmed plans to bring its all-electric Semi truck to Europe, with full specifications and market-launch details set for unveiling at the IAA Transportation trade fair in Hannover, Germany.
The event runs September 15–20, with a possible press preview on September 14. The announcement, shared via Tesla’s Semi account, marks a significant expansion beyond North America nearly nine years after the truck’s original 2017 reveal.
🚨 Tesla Semi is coming to Europe!
Sustainable logistics is a huge market internationally, and now Tesla is involved in it outside of the U.S. market! https://t.co/q3hjX6ybMv pic.twitter.com/mxTaVY3UsE
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 20, 2026
In the United States, the Semi’s path has been gradual. Limited pilot production and customer deliveries began in late 2022, primarily to fleets such as PepsiCo. After years of refinement, high-volume manufacturing started on April 29, 2026, at a dedicated facility adjacent to Gigafactory Nevada.
The plant targets an annual capacity of 50,000 units, though the ramp is expected to be gradual, with “many thousands” of trucks projected by the end of 2026.
Demand is building, with recent orders including 500 units for Einride (deliveries starting September 2026, serving Amazon and others) and hundreds more from operators such as WattEV. Pricing stands at approximately $260,000 for the Standard Range and $290,000 for the Long Range before incentives.
Tesla Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels
Earlier in 2026, Tesla finalized production specifications that incorporated substantial updates. In February, the company detailed two variants designed for a full 82,000-pound gross combination weight.
The Standard Range offers about 325 miles of range with a 548 kWh battery and curb weight under 20,000 pounds. The Long Range delivers roughly 500 miles with an 822 kWh pack and a 23,000-pound curb weight. Both use three independent rear-axle motors producing up to 800 kW (about 1,073 horsepower), achieve energy consumption of around 1.7 kWh per mile, and support megawatt-class charging at up to 1.2 MW—recovering about 60 percent of range in 30 minutes through the MCS standard.
Additional refinements include a roughly 1,000-pound weight reduction versus earlier prototypes, improved aerodynamics, a 48-volt electrical architecture, electric power take-off up to 25 kW for refrigerated trailers, and fleet management software with over-the-air updates.
These advances position the Semi as a competitive option against diesel trucks on operating costs and performance. For Europe, adaptations such as lighting, cab configurations (including potential sleeper options), and regulatory compliance are anticipated.
With series production underway in Nevada and major fleet commitments secured, the upcoming IAA reveal will clarify timelines, European-specific specs, and pricing, potentially accelerating electrification of heavy-duty freight on both continents.
Investor's Corner
Tesla Robotaxi gets a massive upgrade in Nevada
Nevada regulators just approved a massive expansion of Tesla’s robotaxi fleet across the entire county.
Tesla’s robotaxi footprint in Nevada just grew by roughly 500 times in a single regulatory vote.
The Nevada Transportation Authority approved Tesla’s full Autonomous Vehicle Network Company permit on Thursday, clearing the way for the company to deploy up to 5,000 driverless vehicles across Clark County over the next 12 months. The decision came during a four hour general session meeting that Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt watched live and reported on X, noting the vote replaces the interim order that had limited Tesla to just 10 robotaxis on a narrow stretch of the Las Vegas Strip.
EXCLUSIVE: Tesla has just officially received approval for its full Autonomous Vehicle Network Company permit in Nevada, clearing the way for Tesla to launch a paid public Robotaxi service in Las Vegas.
This officially allows @Tesla to deploy up to 5,000 robotaxis over the next… pic.twitter.com/DPs5UtUlrE
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) August 20, 2026
That earlier cap, covered here after it surfaced on August 13, came with restrictions that looked stricter than what Tesla runs in Austin: a 45 mph speed ceiling, no airport pickups, and a geofence confined to the Strip corridor. The new approval extends Tesla’s operating authority to all of Clark County, with room to request an even wider geofence across the state.
Tesla representatives at the meeting said they have no intention of putting 5,000 cars on the road right away. Commercial rides are expected to start within 30 days, pending vehicle inspections, insurance filings, and fare approval, the standard steps every robotaxi operator in Nevada has had to clear.
Tesla’s own Robotaxi account replied to the news with a short line, The golden future is upon us.
The timing lines up with Tesla’s broader robotaxi push this month. The company is preparing to open Cybercab rides to the public in Austin as soon as this month, and it opened a sweepstakes for riders to win a seat at the launch event. Tesla filed its original application for a 5,000 vehicle Nevada fleet back in June, a request regulators trimmed to 10 vehicles when they issued the interim order in July. Thursday’s vote effectively grants the number Tesla asked for from the start.
Zoox, the Amazon owned robotaxi operator, has run in Nevada since 2025 and was capped at 100 vehicles before Thursday’s decision. Tesla’s new ceiling puts it well ahead of that comparison on paper, though the company has said its actual fleet size will depend on how quickly FSD v15 rolls out, the software update executives have called the gateway to scaling unsupervised robotaxi operations nationwide.
Tesla will resolve massive China recall with stickers and a software update
Tesla Semi is officially headed to Europe
