Earlier this week, Tesla launched a six-seater version of its most popular SUV, dubbed the Tesla Model YL. We’ve got the details, but in short, it’s a bit larger than the Model Y, with six seats instead of five, nearly the same range, and a slightly higher price tag.
Given that the only six-seater Tesla option globally is the far pricier Model X, a lot of potential buyers probably hoped that the Model YL would come to the U.S. as well. That might never happen, and if it does, it won’t be very soon.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed this in a tweet.
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“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 wrote.
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At best, U.S. buyers won’t be able to get a Model YL until very late 2026 or, more likely, early 2027.
As for the “advent of self-driving,” Musk is referring to the company’s recently launched and fast-expanding Robotaxi service. It’s only available in a handful of cities and areas in the U.S. right now, but Musk said the plan was to offer Robotaxis to “half the population” of the U.S. by year’s end.
That’s very unlikely to happen. The Robotaxi service is currently in a sort of closed beta, and isn’t exactly autonomous either, especially in the Bay Area where a driver must be present at all times. Even if Tesla could pull it off, the service would still need to be approved by regulators, and it’s hard to imagine the company getting the green light in so many U.S. cities in the next four months.
It’s not entirely clear why self-driving would impact a six-seat variant of the Model Y, either, and Musk offered no further explanation.
Tesla’s chief also didn’t mention markets other than the U.S., so potential buyers can still hope that the Model YL will arrive there a bit sooner.
