It appears that Tesla’s rear casting and structure improvements for the Model Y have been designed to improve the safety of passengers who will occupy the vehicle’s future third row of seats.
As Sandy Munro continues to dive into the company’s new all-electric crossover, several clues hint toward the vehicle’s improved rear safety design. Munro mentions multiple design improvements that range from thicker longitudinal bars to prevent crunching in the even of an accident, to new bolt shapes that decrease weight and improve durability.
Munro first looks at the castings on the side rails of the Model Y. The attachment points on each side of the car indicate they are one piece and are not welded on. “They’re plenty strong, and you can see they’re just cast in place,” he said. Also, the under-seat points are 3 to 3.5mm thick. Munro suggests Tesla moved added density to other areas that may be more susceptible to being compromised in an accident. “There is a lot of good stuff here. I like that.”
According to Munro, Model Y has improved fixture points on the rear longitudinals that run from the front to the back of the car. While the two bolts on the front of the longitudinals are standard, the top bolt on the rear end is scooped out. “These are common on Japanese cars. See how it’s dished out? The Japanese use this for weight reduction, but it is also good for a shear bolt. So my guess is this may be something to do with crashworthiness,” Munro said.
Shear bolts are commonly used to protect equipment from sudden impact or excessive load. They are often referred to as “anti-theft bolts” and popular among assemblies that may be subjected to occurrences of excessive force. However, they are ideal for safety and an accident would maintain the structural integrity of the rear portion of the car, keeping those seated in the back safe from injury during a violent collision.
Speculation from the Detroit veteran suggests the Model Y’s third row of seats will be rear-facing, especially as the design of the mounting brackets only leads Munro to believe that the sixth and seventh passengers will be looking out of the vehicle’s rear windshield.
“We can’t see anything that says that we’re going to be putting front-facing seats. But, we sure can see where it could be a potential there for rear-facing seats,” Munro said.
A video Munro posted on April 4 to the company YouTube channel examined the Model Y’s potential for rear-facing third-row seats. Munro hopped into the trunk of the crossover and was impressed by the size and spaciousness, and mentioned that it was “semi-comfortable” and may be best for children based on its storage design.
Based on what is known about Tesla’s previous and upcoming third-row seating options, the design would likely be rear-facing. Jump seats in the Model S were popular among the sedan’s owners before the release of the Model X. Additionally, the upcoming release of the Plaid Mode Model S will include rear-facing jump seats that will support larger passengers instead of just children.
The Model Y was always aimed toward being the safest midsize SUV on the road. With the inclusion of an optional third row of seats, the Model Y’s rear collision safety had to be revamped and rejuvenated. The addition of shear bolts for durability and increased thickness in some areas for added strength was likely added to improve the safety of third-row passengers in an accident.
Watch Munro’s video of the improved rear castings and safety design of the Model Y below.
Lifestyle
Tesla makes the cut on California’s newest EV Rebate program
California just signed a $270 million EV rebate into law and it starts this summer.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 168 into law on Monday, July 13, 2026, creating a $270 million EV rebate program that delivers money directly at the dealership rather than as a tax credit applied months later. The program, called MyFirstEV, is funded equally by California’s state budget and participating automakers, with each contributing $135.5 million to make the math work.
The timing is directly tied to the loss of federal support when the $7,500 federal EV tax credit ended, removing the most significant consumer incentive that had driven EV adoption in the U.S. California, which accounts for roughly one-third of all EVs sold nationally, moved to fill that gap with a state-level replacement.
The rebate structure is straightforward. First-time EV buyers can receive $3,500 off any new battery-electric vehicle with an MSRP up to $50,000. Used EVs priced at $25,000 or below qualify for a $1,750 rebate. The credit is applied at the point of sale, which removes the friction of the old federal system where buyers had to wait for tax season to see the benefit. The program goes live later this summer, with the California Air Resources Board expected to release full participation details next month.
California hits Tesla Cybercab and Robotaxi driverless cars with new law
For Tesla buyers, the implications are mixed. The Tesla Model 3 RWD at $42,490 and the Model 3 Long Range at $47,490 both fall under the $50,000 cap and would qualify for the full $3,500 rebate for first-time buyers. The Model Y, which starts at $44,990 after Tesla’s recent price adjustment, also qualifies. The Model X, Model S, and Cybertruck all exceed the cap and receive no benefit. As Teslarati has reported, the program also includes a carve-out exempting California-based automakers like Rivian and Lucid from the price cap entirely, a provision that puts Tesla at a disadvantage since it relocated its headquarters to Texas in 2021.
Other qualifying vehicles include the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Volkswagen ID.4.
The Tesla Semi is entering a new Pilot Program with Paper Transport, LLC (PTI), a Wisconsin-based transportation provider. The company will test the Semi’s Long Range configuration through “dedicated operations within the Chicago market.”
Chicago presents an interesting challenge for the Semi, as it will be a colder-weather climate that will test the Semi’s ability to operate in lower temperatures and in potentially large accumulations of snow. This is something Tesla has been testing with the Semi in Alaska and even in Northern California during the colder months, but Chicago will present a truly tough midwestern winter.
Tesla Semi spotted on journey home after winter performance testing
PTI says it is using the Semi to evaluate its strategy of reducing transportation emissions while maintaining performance, reliability, and cost efficiency. These are major arguments for the Semi being introduced into new fleets.
CEO of PTI Tyler Ellison said:
“PTI has been a leader in sustainable transportation solutions for over 15 years. We take a consultative approach to helping customers identify and implement the right transportation solution for their network. Our partnership with Tesla expands our portfolio alongside renewable natural gas and intermodal, giving customers more ways to reduce Scope 3 emissions without compromising service or economics.”
PTI is far from the first company to adopt the Semi within a fleet, as Tesla entered strategic agreements with PepsiCo. and its subsidiary Frito-Lay for a Pilot Program that extended throughout the California region.
Tesla has let companies like those utilize the Semi to determine whether it would be suitable for their operations. Additionally, Tesla gets valuable information regarding the Semi’s performance, knowing what to improve and what is ideal for companies that will utilize the all-electric truck for regional and nationwide logistics.
PTI plans to utilize the Long Range configuration, which is priced at $290,000 and features a range of approximately 500 miles, a three-motor powertrain, up to 800 kW of drive power, and consumption of just 1.7 kWh per mile.
Tesla Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels
VP of Maintenance at PTI, Bryan Ellen, added:
“We are excited to partner with Tesla, leveraging their ever-evolving technology. We are bullish in our estimation of the parallels available between our dedicated model and the efficiency of their fully electric Class 8 tractor. We anticipate a growing synergy between our businesses as we work to facilitate this sustainable solution for our customers.”
PTI has logged more than 87 million miles using sources like compressed and renewable gas, but now is looking to take it a step further with fully electric operations.
Tesla revealed on Monday that it is building a new autonomous vehicle at Gigafactory Texas, its plant just outside of the City of Austin. This particular vehicle will be geared toward those who are in need of a wheelchair-accessible car that would require no human driver for operation.
According to a new report from Wired, Tesla’s Senior Policy Advisor, India Herdman, told members of the Washington D.C. City Council on Monday:
“We are in development for a purpose-built, wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle. We know that paratransit can be very difficult, and people who are confined to wheelchairs permanently should still be able to move around freely, so that is an active product being built by Tesla in Texas.”
This builds upon what CEO Elon Musk said last year on X, which confirmed the company was working on accessible rides within its Robotaxi platform, which currently is confined to the Model Y.
Absolutely
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 19, 2025
Tesla is also developing the Cybercab, which started employee rides last week. However, this vehicle is not necessarily geared toward wheelchair accessibility.
That leaves a major gap in the autonomous ride-sharing program that Tesla is attempting to build; the company has been pretty clear that it does not want to complicate its manufacturing lines by bringing in a wide array of body styles.
However, it seems necessary to have something larger that could help transport people to appointments when they cannot drive. For wheelchair accessibility, the Robovan, which was unveiled at the “We, Robot” event in October 2024, seems to be the most ideal solution:
Herdman did not indicate whether she was referring to the Robovan or if Tesla is building yet another body style that is geared toward full autonomy but also caters to the handicapped.
Tesla might need to develop something specifically for the handicapped in order to align with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prevents discrimination against people with disabilities in transportation services. Uber was hit with a lawsuit late last year for “refusing to reasonably modify its policies, practices, or procedures where necessary to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities.”
Tesla would obviously like to avoid this.
It will be interesting to see what Tesla will do with this project, and whether it will introduce something new to the market or just continue with the Robovan.
Tesla makes the cut on California’s newest EV Rebate program
Tesla Semi enters new Pilot Program with interesting challenge
