news

한어Русский языкEnglishFrançaisIndonesianSanskrit日本語DeutschPortuguêsΕλληνικάespañolItalianoSuomalainenLatina

good news: tesla’s sales backbone, the model y, may finally be getting an update.

the bad news: there are seven.

just a few days ago, latepost sent a message saying that the new tesla model y, which had no news before, is now ready to go: the five-seat version will be delivered in the first quarter of next year, and there will be a seven-seat version in the fourth quarter.

and some of the seven-seater models will most likely be adjusted for the chinese market and become china-specific versions.

okay, okay, lao ma, you say that model y will not be redesigned this year, but on the other hand you are preparing to deliver the new model at the beginning of the year, right?

as soon as we saw the news, we contacted tesla to verify it, and the answer we got was: fake. just two words, not more.

i think this reply is quite credible. after all, the competitiveness of this model in china can really be said to be infinitely close to zero.

because you may not know, although this seven-seater model y has not been available in china, it has been sold overseas for several years. if i were to use a word to evaluate the product strength of this model, i think "invincible" is definitely the most appropriate.

in the european and american markets, the so-called seven-seater version of model y cannot actually be considered a separate model. to be precise, it should be considered an option based on the five-seater model.

if you are planning to place an order for the dual-motor long-range version of model y and happen to have a budget of $2,000, or more than 10,000 rmb, you can add this option called seven-seat interior to your configuration list.

yes, other models such as the high-performance version and the single-motor rear-wheel drive version are not available yet.

after spending more than ten thousand yuan, your model y will have an additional hidden third-row seat that can be folded completely flat, as well as an armrest and central cup holder that come with the seat.

there are even two c ports in front of the cup holder for charging mobile phones and tablets.

in addition, the seven-seat model y has no difference in body size or internal configuration compared to the regular five-seat version. when the third row of seats is not needed, the seats can be folded up and turned into part of the trunk, making it a five-seat model.

at first glance, isn’t this pretty good? there’s no difference in daily practicality, and it can carry two more people in an emergency. isn’t it perfect?

but the fact is, these two back seats are so amazing that you can't even imagine.

there was actually a wave of seven-seater models in china around 2020. regardless of whether it is an independent brand or a joint venture car company, as long as the size of their own suv is medium to large or even larger than medium, they will find ways to add a third row to it.

the trend has spread to such an extent that even mercedes-benz's compact suv glb has been affected, cramming seven seats into a wheelbase of just over 2.8 meters.

however, these seven-seater models that seemed very suitable for emergencies almost all failed after a short period of time, and the brands all went back to five-seater models.

the reason why no one is willing to pay for it is very simple, that is, the third row of seats in the seven-seater model is really a bit too makeshift.

not only is the space cramped, but the front view is also blocked by the second row of seats. even worse, in order to be flush with the trunk floor when the third row of seats is folded, the seat surface and backrest are usually very thin, which makes the comfort level very poor.

bmw x5 seven-seater super small stool

however, the third row is often located right above the rear axle, and the vibrations from going over potholes and bumps are transmitted almost unreservedly to the buttocks and lumbar spine because there is not enough seat padding to cushion the vibrations.

to sum it up, it is small and uncomfortable. no one would be willing to spend a few thousand or even tens of thousands more to make the passengers in the car suffer, right?

the same principle applies to the seven-seat version of model y, but to an even greater degree.

small, definitely small.

the current model y also has a wheelbase of only 2890mm, which is only 6cm longer than the aforementioned mercedes-benz glb. the legroom in the third row is not surprising.

brother neck looked through some videos of overseas car owners and found that if you want to squeeze your legs in, you have to push the second row of seats forward to a position almost close to the first row.

if this problem can be overcome, then the problem of head space is basically unsolvable.

in order to pursue a good-looking coupe suv shape, model y deliberately designed the angle of the line connecting the roof, d-pillar and rear of the car to be quite radical, almost as flat as a sedan.

this design is not a big problem for a five-seater car, but if it is used for a seven-seater car, it is equivalent to adding a huge lid on the heads of the third-row passengers.

if you were a little taller, the style would probably turn out like this.

hello, have you seen a tesla that is convertible and not afraid of rain?

it's not impossible to close the lid, but the passengers in the third row will have to maintain this posture.

in addition, the third row does not have independent air-conditioning vents, and the overhead glass has no sun-proof film or coating. if anyone has a personal grudge against me, i will definitely be the first to let him sit in the third row of the model y for long-distance trips.

it's definitely going to cost me my life.

therefore, the seven-seat configuration does not have a very good reputation even in europe, which likes small cars, and the united states, tesla's base.

the only people who have a soft spot for it are those who love trams very much and have a lot of children at home. after all, although this third row is very abstract for adults, it is just right for children.

at this point, everyone has discovered the problem. the seven-seater model y is most attractive to families with many children who want to buy a new energy vehicle for children.

but this group of people has too many choices in china. even if the seven-seater version of model y can make so-called configuration upgrades for the chinese market, how can it compete with a large number of refrigerators, color tvs and large sofas with its lack of space and comfort?

so i can almost say that as long as the body size of model y remains unchanged and the angle of the inclined d-pillar remains unchanged, its seven-seat option will not be purchased by anyone either in china or abroad.

so i think that at this stage, it is unlikely that tesla will introduce the seven-seater model y, a model that is neither well-received nor popular, into china.

but then again, configuration updates like the seven-seat model y, which are eye-catching at first glance, may be what tesla really needs right now.

because tesla’s biggest problem right now is that its products have not had any substantial updates for many years, resulting in a rapid decline in its brand influence around the world.

as we all know, model y surpassed corolla with sales of 1.22 million units last year, becoming the best-selling model in the world. tesla has naturally become the world's best-selling pure electric car brand.

however, just a few months later, tesla's overall sales in europe, the stronghold of new energy vehicles, have been surpassed by bmw, and its sales in china and the united states have also fallen by 10% year-on-year.

the core reason is that tesla's competitors have finally started to exert their strength, but tesla has no ability to resist.

in europe, bmw, which has surpassed tesla, has taken a large market share with its newly launched ix1, ix3 and i5. the volvo ex30, which is almost completely comparable to the model y, has even reached the same sales level as the model y just one month after its launch. the model 3, which ranked second last year, has now fallen out of the top three.

the situation in china is basically the same. while model y and model 3 are slowly declining month-on-month, the monthly sales of new cars from byd, ideal, xiaomi, and zeekr are gradually increasing.

in contrast, the model y, which has not had any substantial updates for more than five years, and the model 3, which has not made much difference even after the update, are not very attractive in terms of configuration or price.

what? you said good control is an advantage?

indeed, this may still attract some car owners in china, but what about in europe where there are many small steel cannons?

the new model y is finally here, but judging from the leaked spy photos, the new car will most likely be updated to the same extent as the revamped model 3, with new interior and exterior, but the core three-electric system will remain unchanged.

coupled with the fact that fsd is nowhere in sight, in my opinion, these updates may not prevent the continued decline in model y’s market share.

just because a car looks not as "new" as others has already cut off most of its competitiveness.

perhaps realizing this, tesla has recently used some "new for the sake of new" tricks. for example, they launched a batch of "beggar's edition" model 3 in mexico, with smaller batteries, shorter battery life, and the interior trims without ambient lights, leather seats, and rear entertainment screens, making the price a little cheaper.

“rough version” model 3 interior

i think tesla has probably seriously considered introducing the seven-seat version of model y into china.

it is indeed new, and sales will probably be slightly boosted, but how long does tesla want to continue to use this approach of patching up old models?

but to be honest, after thinking for a long time, i still can't figure out what tricks ma can use now. because all the cards tesla has now are almost paralyzed:

not only is fsd difficult to roll out, but its iteration speed is also significantly slower than before. the 4680 battery and cybertruck are also out of the global market outside the united states due to various issues. according to late news, the cheap model 2 may be a modified version of the model y...

it’s no wonder that tesla’s stock price has been plummeting recently. investors have no confidence in tesla’s future.

it may not be an exaggeration to say that this is tesla's low period. lao ma, lao ma, if you have any powerful tricks, don't hide them and show them out quickly.

whether it can maintain the title of the big brother of pure electric vehicle companies may depend on this wave!