Tesla is preparing to offer a new Model Y trim for 2023 with a Standard Range All-Wheel Drive configuration and 4680 batteries that just landed approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In October, we reported that Tesla had applied for and earned Certificates of Conformity for various Model 3, Model X, and Model S trim levels, but the Model Y was never mentioned in the EPA’s database. It was surprising but not alarming, as Tesla still had several months to apply for and receive approval to sell other vehicles that would fall under the 2023 model year.
The EPA has now added Tesla’s Model Y Certificates of Conformity for 2023 models to its database, and instead of just receiving approval for the two configurations it already sells, Tesla received three Certificates of Conformity for the Model Y. The EPA approved the Model Y Long Range All-Wheel-Drive, the Model Y Performance All-Wheel-Drive, and now a new trim, which is listed as “Model Y All-Wheel-Drive.”
Credit: Tesla
Interestingly, Tesla had previously built a Model Y with a Standard Range All-Wheel-Drive powertrain at Gigafactory Texas in April but only offered it to employees. The vehicle had 279 miles of range and offered a more favorable AWD setup. However, it was being sold at close to $60,000, which was a considerably high cost for the range it offered.
It was rumored that this was the Model Y Tesla had built with the highly-anticipated 4680 cell for some time. As it was only available to employees, this only helped catalyze even more speculation that the vehicle featured the automaker’s new cell chemistry.
The 4680 Model Y is elusive. Employees like Tesla’s Senior VP of Powertrain Drew Baglino drives one, and the company is building 4680-equipped Model Ys at Gigafactory Texas. However, the company primarily delivers 2170-equipped Model Ys to customers as the 4680 program is far from fully ramped.
Tesla applied for approval of the three Model Y configurations on September 30 and received Certificates of Conformity on October 19, EPA documents show. Specific range ratings for this trim have not yet been released by the agency.
This could hint that Tesla is preparing to deliver more 4680 Model Ys to customers this year. The vehicle needed to be assessed by the EPA before it can be delivered to customers. Since it features a new chemistry with different range ratings and power outputs, it may have caused the all-electric crossover to gain approval slightly later than the other three cars in Tesla’s lineup.
Tesla’s 4680 cells could enter mass production by the end of the year. The company has already been working with suppliers such as Panasonic to develop prototypes of the cell in preparation for large-scale production in 2023. Kazuo Tadanobu, President and CEO of Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., said Tesla’s 4680 cells will enter mass production on lines in Japan in May 2023.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
Elon Musk
Tesla’s next-gen Optimus prototype with Grok revealed
The video shows a new Optimus prototype answering questions and taking some very robotic steps, evidently revealing that the next-generation version is in its early stages of development.

Tesla’s next-generation Optimus robot with AI assistant Grok has been revealed in a new video shared on X.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk was with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff last night, and it appears the frontman gave Benioff an exclusive look at some upcoming technology.
Tesla talks Semi ramp, Optimus, Robotaxi rollout, FSD with Wall Street firm
The video shows a new Optimus prototype answering questions and taking some very robotic steps, evidently revealing that the next-generation version is in its early stages of development. It features Grok for some additional utility, as it answered questions Benioff asked in the short video.
Here’s what was uploaded to X:
Crazy look at Tesla Optimus from Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who was hanging out with Elon Musk yesterday!
Love this gold color on you @Tesla_Optimus https://t.co/NGgDqVVf1g pic.twitter.com/q8286aBNKy
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 3, 2025
It appears that there are several big changes to this next-generation version of Optimus, some of which have been discussed by Musk and Tesla in the past.
The first is purely cosmetic, but the gold color that Optimus is wearing in this is a new and fresh look that we have not seen before.
Perhaps the most interesting change that is evident here is the hands, which are much more detailed than past versions of Optimus:
However, we’re not too sure that these are what will be released with the next-gen Optimus, because they don’t appear to be functional, and they are more reminiscent of mannequin hands than anything.
The hands on Optimus have been a significant part of the program, as they are among the most crucial pieces of equipment on a robot. It needs to be able to perform both delicate and more imposing tasks. Tesla has aimed for Optimus to be able to thread needles or play the piano.
It was one of the most discussed improvements the company mentioned in past comments regarding how it planned to improve from Gen 2 to this next version.
Musk mentioned regarding Optimus:
“Next-generation Optimus hand, which we have in prototype form, has actuators that have moved to the forearm, just like humans, and they operate the fingers through cables, just like human hands.”
Within Optimus lies a significant opportunity for Tesla to gain considerable strength in terms of market share and valuation.
If Tesla can efficiently develop and deploy the humanoid robot over the next several years, the company stands to gain, as companies will utilize it for tasks that require tedious labor.
Musk recently said Optimus will be a major contributor to Tesla’s valuation moving forward. He believes it will make up roughly 80 percent of the company’s value.
Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk to provide more details for Master Plan Part IV
Musk stated that he would be adding specifics to the plan in a later update.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk will be adding more specifics to the recently-released Master Plan Part IV. Musk shared the update on social media platform X amidst conversations about the general nature of the Master Plan Part IV.
In a conversation on X, Musk responded to a post from Tesla retail shareholder and bull Dave Lee, who observed that the currently released Master Plan Part IV could really just be the introduction to the real plan due to its absence of specifics.
Elon Musk responded, stating that he would be adding specifics to the plan in a later update. “Fair enough. Will add more specifics,” Musk wrote in his post.
Tesla has been following Elon Musk’s Master Plans for decades. The first Master Plan, released in 2006, outlined the company’s path from the original Tesla Roadster to the Model 3, as well as the first steps for Tesla Energy. Master Plan Part Deux, released in 2016, covered the ramp of Tesla Energy, the expansion of Tesla’s vehicle lineup, and the rollout of a Robotaxi service.
Master Plan Part 3 was more ambitious as it was generally an in-depth proposal for achieving a global sustainable entry economy by transitioning to electricity-powered vehicles, homes, and industry, which will, in turn, be powered by renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Master Plan Part 3 also included a five-step plan to accomplish this, allowing the world to transition to a fully electrified future.
Master Plan Part IV, which was released a few days ago, focused on automation and artificial intelligence to achieve sustainable abundance. But while the first two Master Plans were very clear and specific and Master Plan Part 3 was very in-depth, Master Plan Part IV was quite general and vague in comparison. It was easy to tell that Optimus would play a big role in the pursuit of sustainable abundance, but apart from that, there were no specifics as to how Tesla intended to achieve its goals.
Fortunately, these specifics would be discussed by Musk in a later update to the plan.
News
Tesla just had its best wholesale month this year in China
Tesla China’s wholesale figures include both vehicles that are sold domestically and exported abroad.

Tesla China just had its best wholesale month this 2025 so far. In August, the electric vehicle maker sold 83,192 vehicles wholesale, a 22.55% increase compared to July 2025’s 67,886 units.
Tesla China’s wholesale figures are still down year-over-year, but the company’s momentum seems notable, especially with the arrival of the Model Y L.
August 2025 figures
As noted in a CNEV Post report, August 2025’s 83,192 wholesale figures are 4.04% less than the 86,697 units that were sold in the same period last year. It is, however, a 22.55% improvement from the previous month. From January to August, Tesla China sold 515,552 units wholesale, a 12.24% year-over-year decrease.
It should be noted that Tesla China’s wholesale figures include both vehicles that are sold domestically and exported abroad. With this in mind, August’s results bode well for Tesla China, as it suggests that Gigafactory Shanghai is now hitting its pace with both its domestic deliveries and its exports. Giga Shanghai serves as Tesla’s primary vehicle export hub.
Model Y L factor
Tesla had a challenging first quarter this year, thanks in part to the changeover to the Model Y across the Fremont factory, Giga Texas, Giga Shanghai, and Giga Berlin-Brandenburg. This changeover resulted in low sales in the first quarter. Political controversies surrounding Elon Musk and violence against Tesla stores and vehicles in the first and second quarters in the United States and Europe did not help much either.
This Q3, however, Tesla seems to be hitting its stride, especially in China. The launch of the new Model Y L has allowed Tesla to compete in the six-seat, large SUV segment, a market that was previously closed to the standard Model Y. Reports have suggested that Tesla China has been seeing a lot of demand for the Model Y L, which should help the company achieve higher sales this quarter and the remaining months of the year.
-
News4 days ago
Tesla is overhauling its Full Self-Driving subscription for easier access
-
Elon Musk5 days ago
Elon Musk shares unbelievable Starship Flight 10 landing feat
-
Elon Musk6 days ago
Elon Musk reveals when SpaceX will perform first-ever Starship catch
-
Elon Musk7 days ago
SpaceX Starship Flight 10 was so successful, it’s breaking the anti-Musk narrative
-
News2 days ago
Tesla appears to be mulling a Cyber SUV design
-
News5 days ago
Tesla expands crazy new lease deal for insane savings on used inventory
-
News5 days ago
Tesla talks Semi ramp, Optimus, Robotaxi rollout, FSD with Wall Street firm
-
News6 days ago
Tesla launches Full Self-Driving in a new region