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.
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A coup attempt by a “small group of soldiers” has been foiled in Benin after hours of gunfire struck parts of the economic capital Cotonou, officials said on Sunday.
Russia has welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s new National Security Strategy, calling it largely consistent with Moscow’s own vision, as Washington pushes forward with efforts to broker an end to the war in Ukraine.
Thailand launched air strikes along its disputed border with Cambodia on Monday after fresh fighting erupted before dawn on Monday, raising fears of the collapse of a peace plan brokered just months ago by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says recent talks with U.S. representatives on a possible peace plan were “constructive, although not easy,” as he prepares for new consultations with European leaders in coming days.
A coup attempt by a “small group of soldiers” has been foiled in Benin after hours of gunfire struck parts of the economic capital Cotonou, officials said on Sunday.
A delayed local vote in the rural Honduran town of San Antonio de Flores has become a pivotal moment in the country’s tightest presidential contest, with both campaigns watching its results as counting stretches into a second week.
FIFA releases the 2026 World Cup schedule with match dates, venues, and key fixtures. See when host nations USA, Mexico, and Canada play and get an overview of group stage and knockout rounds.
Lava fountains shot from Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano from dawn to dusk on Saturday, with new footage showing intensifying activity at the north vent.
McLaren’s Lando Norris became Formula One world champion for the first time in Abu Dhabi, edging Max Verstappen to the title by just two points after a tense season finale.
Netflix’s plan to buy Warner Bros marks a rare moment in Hollywood where scale, risk and ambition collide. The agreement, announced on 5 December, puts a price of roughly 82.7 billion dollars on one of the film industry's most influential studios.
American talk show host Oprah Winfrey has praised Australia's decision to ban social media for under-16s from next week, saying the move would help young people socialise more.
In a small town on the outskirts of Warsaw, lumps of glass are transformed into dazzling holiday decorations, as Silverado, a family-owned factory in Jozefow, polishes the tradition of mouth-blown Christmas ornaments, captivating buyers across the globe and spreading festive cheer.
Israel’s participation in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be discussed on Thursday (4 December), as the organising body, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) meet in Geneva to consider whether the country can compete amid threats from some nations to withdraw over the ongoing Gaza war.
The Louvre Museum in Paris on Tuesday unveiled renovated galleries showcasing 17th and 18th-century Italian and Spanish paintings and opened its new Gallery of the Five Continents.
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