Tesla’s Newest American Car Is a Stretch

Tesla bid farewell to the two vehicles that put it on the map this year.Production of the Model S, which turned Tesla into a major automaker in 2012, and the Model X that followed in 2015 with its dazzling falcon-wing doors ended this spring to make room for the assembly of its upcoming humanoid Optimus robots.Sales of both had dwindled over the years as the brand’s more affordable models took off, but the loss of the Model X left it with a large hole in its lineup.The Model X had three rows of seats, while all of Tesla’s other current vehicles, including the Cybertruck, have just two. Three-row SUVs are among the most popular vehicles today, as is the Tesla Model Y, so the company had a bright idea.It created the Model Y L, which is a stretched version of the compact SUV with three rows of seating for six passengers. It actually went on sale in China last year, but Tesla is now building it at its Austin, Texas factory for the American market.A touchscreen controller for the infotainment system is provided for passengers in the second row. TeslaTesla offered a three-row Model Y several years ago, but it was the same size as the standard Model Y and not much of a success. The tiny third row was more of a suggestion and not very useful for anyone much larger than Baby Yoda. The Model Y L is seven inches longer than the Model Y and has a reshaped body that creates more headroom above the third row. That makes it suitable for taller passengers, if not NBA centers.Tesla is introducing it in a Launch Series Premium trim that starts at $63,630, which is roughly $12,000 more than a similar Model Y, but it comes fully loaded. Tesla even throws in a year’s subscription to the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) feature, which provides near-autonomy and usually costs $99 per month. Six paint colors are available at no extra charge, several of which are up to $2,000 options on the Model Y. Lower-priced trims will be added in the future.The Model Y L Launch Series has a battery pack that provides up to 325 miles of driving between charges and an all-wheel-drive system powerful enough to accelerate it to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds on the way to an electronically limited 125 mph top speed. Computer-controlled shock absorbers are standard and constantly adjust their stiffness to improve ride comfort and handling as needed.The third row of seats is a heated bench that can be folded to expand the cargo compartment, but the second row is a pair of sliding captain’s chairs equipped with heat, ventilation and power armrests that rise from their bases. The eight-inch touchscreen mounted between them to provide access to the infotainment system is half the size of the one the front passengers get.The Model Y L features captain’s chairs with power armrests in the second row. TeslaTesla packs 19 speakers into the cabin for the premium audio system, along with more sound insulation than the Model Y, and tops it off with a full glass roof. The Grok AI chatbot, which is shared with the X social media platform that is also run by Elon Musk, is included and can help with navigation or answering questions to assist with your productivity or boredom.The first deliveries are expected to begin in September, and it is hard to imagine the Model Y L won’t be a hit. The Model Y remains both the world’s and America’s best-selling electric vehicle. Expanding its capacity is sure to expand its appeal.

Tesla’s Newest American Car Is a Stretch

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