Tesla (TSLA.O) chief executive Elon Musk has said the company’s new six-seat Model Y, unveiled in China this week, may never be produced in the United States, citing the rise of self-driving technology.
The Model Y L, manufactured at Tesla’s Shanghai plant, has a longer wheelbase, three rows of seats, and is priced at roughly $47,200. It went on sale in China on Tuesday, where Tesla is facing intensifying competition from domestic electric carmakers such as BYD (002594.SZ) and Xiaomi (1810.HK). Responding to a user on X, Musk wrote: “This variant of the Model Y doesn’t start production in the US until the end of next year. Might not ever, given the advent of self-driving in America.” He did not explain why autonomous driving would make a six-seater unnecessary. Tesla declined to comment.
Three-row petrol SUVs have long been popular among American families, but producing profitable electric vehicles of similar size remains a challenge for the industry. New policies introduced by the Trump administration are also expected to raise the cost of EVs, pushing manufacturers to concentrate on smaller, cheaper models. Tesla is preparing to launch a lower-cost Model Y with fewer premium features later this year, which Musk has described simply as “just a Model Y.”
In the United States, the company is increasingly shifting its focus towards robotaxi development. A limited robotaxi service was rolled out in Austin in June, with ambitions to expand to cover half of the U.S. population by year’s end. Musk has previously told investors that producing conventional cars would be “pointless” in a self-driving future.
Next year, Tesla plans to begin production of the Cybercab, a dedicated two-seat robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals.
China accused Britain of lacking “credibility and ethics” after the UK government once again postponed a decision on Beijing’s proposal to build...
Nexperia’s China unit has told its employees to follow directives from local management and disregard instructions from the company’s Dutch head o...
Russia said that its Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had a “constructive” conversation as they began pr...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in a telephone conversation over the weekend where issues of ...
The Communist Party of China has opened the fourth plenary session of its 20th Central Committee in Beijing, as Xi Jinping outlined the country’s ac...
China accused Britain of lacking “credibility and ethics” after the UK government once again postponed a decision on Beijing’s proposal to build a new embassy in London.
Nexperia’s China unit has told its employees to follow directives from local management and disregard instructions from the company’s Dutch head office, marking a rare public split between a multinational firm and its overseas subsidiary.
Russia said that its Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had a “constructive” conversation as they began preparations for an upcoming summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in a telephone conversation over the weekend where issues of mutual interest discussed.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
The Louvre, one of the world’s most visited museums, saw its priceless 19th-century crown jewels stolen in just seven minutes.
Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist of the legendary rock band Kiss known for its powerful sound, theatrical performances, and signature makeup has died at 74, his family announced Thursday.
Grammy Award-winning R&B artist D’Angelo, a pioneer of the neo-soul movement, has died aged 51 after what his family described as “a prolonged and courageous battle with cancer.”
U.S. President Donald Trump has reinstated Columbus Day as a national holiday, calling the explorer “America’s original hero” and hailing Italian-American contributions — a move that has reignited fierce debate over Indigenous Peoples’ Day and colonial legacy.
The European Broadcasting Union has postponed until December a key vote on Israel’s participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, citing uncertainty over the Gaza ceasefire and mounting pressure from broadcasters threatening to boycott the event.
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