The Tesla Model Y L, a stretched and extended version of the popular Model Y SUV, has been spotted at Gigafactory Texas, sparking excitement and speculation about its imminent U.S. launch. This development comes as a surprise, given Elon Musk's previous statements that the Model Y L might not reach North America until late 2026, if at all. The Model Y L is designed to cater to families seeking a spacious and luxurious SUV, offering a 2-2-2 seating layout with ample legroom and easy access. With the discontinuation of the Model S and Model X, Tesla's focus on the Model Y L becomes even more crucial, as it fills a gap in their current lineup.
In contrast, the Model Y L is already making waves globally. After its China-exclusive launch last summer, it has expanded to Australia, New Zealand, and now Thailand. The Thai variant boasts impressive performance, with a 0-100 km/h time of just 5 seconds and an "Adaptive Suspension" for a smooth ride. With EU type approval and sales approval in South Korea, the Model Y L is poised to reach more markets soon.
The Model Y L is not just about extra length; it's a premium overhaul of the cabin. It features a larger 16-inch central touchscreen and an impressive 2,539 liters of storage space with the seats folded. Other highlights include a range of up to 681 km (WLTP), full 2-2-2 seating with adjustable headrests, an upgraded 19-speaker audio system, and continuously variable dampers for enhanced comfort. This addresses a common complaint about the standard Model Y, where the seven-seat layout was too cramped for adults.
In other Tesla news, the company is aggressively defending itself against a wrongful death lawsuit in Colorado. Tesla has filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that the driver was highly intoxicated and that Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) were not active at the time of the crash. The defense relies on vehicle data logs and the driver's blood alcohol level to absolve Tesla of liability. This case highlights Tesla's increasing reliance on hard telemetry data to combat claims of defective software.
Meanwhile, Tesla's FSD (Supervised) software is inching closer to regulatory approval in Europe. After 18 months of intense testing, including 1,600,000+ kilometers of FSD testing on EU roads and thousands of pages of documentation, Tesla and the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW) are in the final stages of the assessment process. The approval is expected to be granted in April, with a wider EU-wide rollout projected for the summer. However, it's important to note that Tesla has been testing with AI4 vehicles, and legacy HW3 vehicle owners may need to wait for FSD v14-lite later this year.
