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Tesla Model Y welding efficiencies paves way to better build quality, top safety rating
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the Model Y would be the safest midsized SUV on the road when it was unveiled in March 2019. Sandy Munro’s 11th episode of his Model Y breakdown series shows how the vehicle’s weld quality, added foam reinforcements, and “aluminum crush plate” could solidify Musk’s claims about the vehicle’s safety, while opening the doors towards better build quality.
Munro states the company’s focus on one welding technique has left him with nothing but positive remarks about the vehicle’s build quality. “The distancing is great. The edge is perfect. This is the kind of stuff that any car company…would be happy to have these kinds of welds all the way around,” he said.
The Model 3’s weld techniques were discussed during Munro’s teardown of the sedan in 2018 when he criticized Tesla’s use of multiple weld techniques. After stating the Model 3’s welding made it look like “a science project,” Munro claims the use of a single technique would have allowed for a more consistent build quality throughout the vehicle.
True to form, Tesla appears to have taken Munro’s suggestion for the Model Y. Tesla was consistent with the Model Y’s welds, and it surely impressed Munro. The electric car maker also used self-piercing rivets, or SPRs, to join dissimilar materials, like steel and aluminum. These two materials are present on the rear door flange welds, making for a quality build on the vehicle’s door frames.
Additionally, Tesla installed head impact countermeasures, or HICs, on several locations. These are used to soften the blow in the event of an accident where a passenger’s head collides off of a portion of the vehicle’s interior. Tesla’s decision to add this was a nice touch in Munro’s opinion, as it only increases the safety of the vehicle.
The Model Y is also equipped with a unique piece of aluminum in the upper lip of the trunk. Munro calls it the “aluminum rear crush plate/bracket.” The part holds the outer portions of the chassis together. The piece also is responsible for folding in the event of a rear collision.
This increases not only safety but also cost-effectiveness if an accident occurs because it will keep the outer frame of the vehicle from being compromised, Munro says. It is easy to remove thanks to a few bolts that are visible and readily accessible, and would also save a driver perhaps hundreds of dollars in labor costs at a shop. “If I hit a pole, it will cost me a few bucks, but it won’t cost me the whole damn car,” Munro jokes.
Under the rear seats, Tesla has installed not only EPP foam, which offers cost-efficiency and effectiveness, but also the Model 3’s floor cover plate. This is used to hold the rear seating assembly in place and separate the cabin from the undercarriage of the car where the battery is fitted. Tesla’s utilization of this Model 3 part proved the part was perfect for the Model Y, and the company has plenty in its stock bin, saving them time and money throughout the manufacturing process of the new vehicle.
Tesla’s already high safety marks for the Model 3 were improved even further in the Model Y thanks to recommendations from Munro. The auto expert’s discontent with the Model 3’s welding eventually led to improvements in the Model Y’s build quality. Tesla’s decision to add other safety features could make the vehicle Tesla’s safest car yet. Just as Elon Musk said a year ago, the Model Y may very well be the most reliable midsize crossover available to consumers.
Watch Munro Live’s breakdown of the Model Y’s safety features below.
Elon Musk
Musk bankers looking to trim xAI debt after SpaceX merger: report
xAI has built up $18 billion in debt over the past few years, with some of this being attributed to the purchase of social media platform Twitter (now X) and the creation of the AI development company. A new financing deal would help trim some of the financial burden that is currently present ahead of the plan to take SpaceX public sometime this year.
Elon Musk’s bankers are looking to trim the debt that xAI has taken on over the past few years, following the company’s merger with SpaceX, a new report from Bloomberg says.
xAI has built up $18 billion in debt over the past few years, with some of this being attributed to the purchase of social media platform Twitter (now X) and the creation of the AI development company. Bankers are trying to create some kind of financing plan that would trim “some of the heavy interest costs” that come with the debt.
The financing deal would help trim some of the financial burden that is currently present ahead of the plan to take SpaceX public sometime this year. Musk has essentially confirmed that SpaceX would be heading toward an IPO last month.
The report indicates that Morgan Stanley is expected to take the leading role in any financing plan, citing people familiar with the matter. Morgan Stanley, along with Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and JPMorgan Chase & Co., are all expected to be in the lineup of banks leading SpaceX’s potential IPO.
Since Musk acquired X, he has also had what Bloomberg says is a “mixed track record with debt markets.” Since purchasing X a few years ago with a $12.5 billion financing package, X pays “tens of millions in interest payments every month.”
That debt is held by Bank of America, Barclays, Mitsubishi, UFJ Financial, BNP Paribas SA, Mizuho, and Société Générale SA.
X merged with xAI last March, which brought the valuation to $45 billion, including the debt.
SpaceX announced the merger with xAI earlier this month, a major move in Musk’s plan to alleviate Earth of necessary data centers and replace them with orbital options that will be lower cost:
“In the long term, space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale. To harness even a millionth of our Sun’s energy would require over a million times more energy than our civilization currently uses! The only logical solution, therefore, is to transport these resource-intensive efforts to a location with vast power and space. I mean, space is called “space” for a reason.”
The merger has many advantages, but one of the most crucial is that it positions the now-merged companies to fund broader goals, fueled by revenue from the Starlink expansion, potential IPO, and AI-driven applications that could accelerate the development of lunar bases.
News
Tesla pushes Full Self-Driving outright purchasing option back in one market
Tesla announced last month that it would eliminate the ability to purchase the Full Self-Driving software outright, instead opting for a subscription-only program, which will require users to pay monthly.
Tesla has pushed the opportunity to purchase the Full Self-Driving suite outright in one market: Australia.
The date remains February 14 in North America, but Tesla has pushed the date back to March 31, 2026, in Australia.
NEWS: Tesla is ending the option to buy FSD as a one-time outright purchase in Australia on March 31, 2026.
It still ends on Feb 14th in North America. https://t.co/qZBOztExVT pic.twitter.com/wmKRZPTf3r
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 13, 2026
Tesla announced last month that it would eliminate the ability to purchase the Full Self-Driving software outright, instead opting for a subscription-only program, which will require users to pay monthly.
If you have already purchased the suite outright, you will not be required to subscribe once again, but once the outright purchase option is gone, drivers will be required to pay the monthly fee.
The reason for the adjustment is likely due to the short period of time the Full Self-Driving suite has been available in the country. In North America, it has been available for years.
Tesla hits major milestone with Full Self-Driving subscriptions
However, Tesla just launched it just last year in Australia.
Full Self-Driving is currently available in seven countries: the United States, Canada, China, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea.
The company has worked extensively for the past few years to launch the suite in Europe. It has not made it quite yet, but Tesla hopes to get it launched by the end of this year.
In North America, Tesla is only giving customers one more day to buy the suite outright before they will be committed to the subscription-based option for good.
The price is expected to go up as the capabilities improve, but there are no indications as to when Tesla will be doing that, nor what type of offering it plans to roll out for owners.
Elon Musk
Starlink terminals smuggled into Iran amid protest crackdown: report
Roughly 6,000 units were delivered following January’s unrest.
The United States quietly moved thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran after authorities imposed internet shutdowns as part of its crackdown on protests, as per information shared by U.S. officials to The Wall Street Journal.
Roughly 6,000 units were delivered following January’s unrest, marking the first known instance of Washington directly supplying the satellite systems inside the country.
Iran’s government significantly restricted online access as demonstrations spread across the country earlier this year. In response, the U.S. purchased nearly 7,000 Starlink terminals in recent months, with most acquisitions occurring in January. Officials stated that funding was reallocated from other internet access initiatives to support the satellite deployment.
President Donald Trump was aware of the effort, though it remains unclear whether he personally authorized it. The White House has not issued a comment about the matter publicly.
Possession of a Starlink terminal is illegal under Iranian law and can result in significant prison time. Despite this, the WSJ estimated that tens of thousands of residents still rely on the satellite service to bypass state controls. Authorities have reportedly conducted inspections of private homes and rooftops to locate unauthorized equipment.
Earlier this year, Trump and Elon Musk discussed maintaining Starlink access for Iranians during the unrest. Tehran has repeatedly accused Washington of encouraging dissent, though U.S. officials have mostly denied the allegations.
The decision to prioritize Starlink sparked internal debate within U.S. agencies. Some officials argued that shifting resources away from Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) could weaken broader internet access efforts. VPNs had previously played a major role in keeping Iranians connected during earlier protest waves, though VPNs are not effective when the actual internet gets cut.
According to State Department figures, about 30 million Iranians used U.S.-funded VPN services during demonstrations in 2022. During a near-total blackout in June 2025, roughly one-fifth of users were still able to access limited connectivity through VPN tools.
Critics have argued that satellite access without VPN protection may expose users to geolocation risks. After funds were redirected to acquire Starlink equipment, support reportedly lapsed for two of five VPN providers operating in Iran.
A State Department official has stated that the U.S. continues to back multiple technologies, including VPNs alongside Starlink, to sustain people’s internet access amidst the government’s shutdowns.
Musk bankers looking to trim xAI debt after SpaceX merger: report
SpaceX launches Crew-12 on Falcon 9, lands first booster at new LZ-40 pad
