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Tesla Model Y L gets disappointingly far production date in the United States

Fans of the extended wheelbase six-seater in the United States are in for a long wait.

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1 month ago

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Credit: @TeslaNewswire/X

The Tesla Model Y L is making a lot of waves in the electric vehicle community, but fans of the extended wheelbase six-seater in the United States are in for a long wait.

This was, at least, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who provided a disappointingly long timeline for the Model Y L’s production in the United States.

The Model Y L

The Model Y L has received near universal acclaim from electric vehicle enthusiasts and auto reviewers in China alike. Priced at just RMB 339,000 ($47,180) and fitted with a spacious and comfortable cabin, the Model Y L seemed destined to become a segment killer. And since the vehicle is also produced in Tesla’s existing Model Y lines, it seemed like the vehicle would be released worldwide soon. 

It was then no surprise that many Tesla community members were keen on asking if the Model Y L will be released in the United States anytime soon. Others also wondered why CEO Elon Musk was very quiet about the vehicle despite all the buzz it was generating. Eventually, Musk did share an update about the Model Y L, but it was not what many expected.

Elon Musk’s update

Amidst the conversations on X about the Model Y L, longtime FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted that Elon Musk would not be saying anything about the vehicle until its international release, likely because he would like to avoid an Osbourne Effect on the standard Model Y. Tesla’s sales today are still highly dependent on the standard Model Y, after all, as it is the company’s best-selling vehicle.

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Musk responded to the FSD tester, stating that the Model Y L will not start production in the United States until the end of 2026. He also noted that the vehicle might not even make it in America at all, considering Tesla’s focus on self-driving. “This variant of the Model Y doesn’t start production in the US until the end of next year. Might not ever, given the advent of self-driving in America,” Musk wrote in his post.

Musk’s post was received with much disappointment from many X users, some of whom joked that the CEO was risking alienating families with three kids with his comments. The Model Y L, after all, is a legitimate family car that can comfortably seat six, and it seemed like a vehicle that Musk would prioritize considering his stance on people having bigger families. Of course, the CEO might still just be preventing an Osbourne Effect with his comments, but it’s difficult to deny that a 2026 U.S. production date for the Model Y L is still disappointing.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla Cybertruck police cruisers from noted tuner arrive to Las Vegas PD

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1 hour ago

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September 30, 2025

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Tesla Cybertruck police cruisers from noted tuner Unplugged Performance arrived to the Las Vegas Police Department this week.

The fleet will have ten total Cybertrucks, outfitted and equipped with all of the trimmings of a normal cruiser, but packed inside the polarizing but useful exoskeleton of the all-electric pickup.

Back in February, it was announced by Las Vegas Metro Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill that they would be specially fitted as a SWAT vehicle. Sheriff McMahill said that the Cybertrucks will keep officers safe because of their unique engineering:

“The cop inside will be safe no matter what; it will stop bullets.”

The Department was gifted the ten vehicles by Ben Horowitz, a billionaire businessman. The donation came shortly after a Cybertruck exploded outside of Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on January 1. Only the suspect was killed in the explosion.

Sheriff McMahill has big plans for the Cybertrucks in the police fleet:

“Imagine when we’re out and we’re charging these things, and officers will be approached by people from all over the community to see this thing. It’s an opportunity [to] inject humanity, to increase our community partnerships.”

The introduction of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department Cybertrucks is just one way the law enforcement agency is using technology to its advantage. The Department also said in February that it would be using new drone technology to triangulate gunshots.

Police departments from all over the United States and even the world have adopted Tesla vehicles for their law enforcement fleets. Many agencies cite cost-effectiveness, affordability, performance, and charging as significant advantages for why EVs make sense for their fleets.

Some Cybertrucks have been utilized as police vehicles as well. Qatar used them to create a motorcade for President Donald Trump during a visit to the Middle East, and the Jalisco, Mexico PD will utilize several Cybertrucks while patrolling the FIFA World Cup.

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Tesla eyes Los Angeles for Robotaxi operation, job posting suggests

LA is also an ideal location for Robotaxi expansion because of its reputation as a hotspot for ride-sharing services.

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4 hours ago

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September 30, 2025

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Credit: @TerrapinTerpene/X

Tesla is eyeing Los Angeles for its Robotaxi operation, a new job posting from the company suggests, as it aims to expand its service area in California.

Tesla has been operating its Robotaxi platform in California for several months now, first launching it in July in the Bay Area, spanning from San Francisco to San Jose, giving those who have access to the ride-hailing suite a pretty substantial service area to travel within.

However, the California operation is far from complete, as Tesla is aiming to expand to Los Angeles, a city that sits roughly seven hours south of San Francisco, but is among the most popular markets for its vehicles.

LA is also an ideal location for Robotaxi expansion because of its reputation as a hotspot for ride-sharing services.

Tesla is hiring a Vehicle Operator for its Robotaxi program in Marina Del Rey, a seaside community in Los Angeles County, located near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and several other hotspots. It is a frequent location of travel for tourists, making it ideal for Robotaxi:

There is a substantial difference between how Tesla operates Robotaxi in California compared to Texas, the other state that currently allows passengers to hail a ride through the Tesla Robotaxi app.

In Texas, the majority of rides are considered “driverless,” as there is nobody sitting in the driver’s seat.

This applies to any ride that does not utilize any of the Texas freeways, as highways will require a driver in the seat, something Tesla did when its geofence in Austin expanded to include interstates.

Tesla adjusts Robotaxi safety monitor strategy in Austin with new service area

In California, things are a bit different. The “Safety Monitor” sits in the driver’s seat, regardless of destination or route. This has drawn some criticism, but Tesla has taken this step in an effort to keep passengers and traffic as safe as possible, recognizing that this is essential for these early rides.

Eventually, and potentially as soon as the end of this year, Tesla could remove Safety Monitors from vehicles altogether, as CEO Elon Musk has hinted this is a possibility.

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Elon Musk says Tesla is bringing a huge improvement to its coolest feature

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7 hours ago

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September 30, 2025

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk says huge improvements are coming to what is arguably its coolest feature: Actually Smart Summon (ASS).

Last September, Tesla finally launched ASS, a widely anticipated improvement from its previous Summon iteration, which aims to allow owners to literally summon their vehicle in locations like parking lots.

Tesla finally launches Actually Smart Summon and Dumb Summon

It is one of the most unique things Tesla offers with its Full Self-Driving program.

However, it is still definitely a work in progress. ASS provided owners with a wide variety of improvements, including better range, more accuracy, and better overall performance. It still has its shortcomings, though.

Personally, I’ve found it to be a useful feature, but I also have my own complaints with it. Sometimes, I find it to be too hesitant, or not work at all:

It seems Tesla is working to improve ASS as much as possible, and one of these improvements includes the ability to summon your car from a different level in a parking garage.

The goal would be to wait at the ground floor, where the exit is, and use ASS from the Tesla app to have the car arrive without having to deal with the elevators, stairs, and other inconveniences.

One owner said ASS would be most useful in a multi-level garage, but it currently does not function as intended. They suggested an altitude sensor “to make it possible to use FSD reliably in garages.”

Musk agreed and said that the inability to use ASS in multi-level garages would not be an issue for long:

This would be an incredible improvement from what ASS is currently capable of. Of course, it has shown to be greatly improved since its early iterations.

However, there are still some things that need to be fixed in terms of its overall performance and its ability to handle less straightforward scenarios.

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