Tesla is pushing the boundaries... literally. The Model Y will now be available with three rows of seats, which means that electric mobility in China will be redefined: one where mom, dad, kids, grandma, grandpa, and a parrot in a golden cage can travel in the car at the same time. So - the extended Tesla Model Y!
Extended Tesla Model Y?! From May 1st to 5th (not coincidentally during Labor Day) the production of the expanded Model Y, internally known as E80 – extended Tesla Model YThe wheelbase will be longer, the chassis more spacious, and the ambitions downright imperial. Although the codename E80 – for extended Tesla Model Y – sounds like a new version of a nuclear submarine, it's actually the most family-oriented model Tesla has ever designed.
Why now? Because China is no longer a teenage girl in love with Elon
Chinese buyers are no longer the fanboys who buy everything that smells like Silicon Valley. Local brands like BYD, NIO, and Li Auto are churning out innovations every day, more dazzling than a TikTok filter. Tesla knows this – and is responding with wider seats (the extended Tesla Model Y), a more comfortable rear end, and offers like those of a fintech startup. Even interest-free loans.
Seven seats, five years interest-free – and no more excuses for other cars
Tesla surprised everyone in April with interest-free financing for three years. Now they're offering a five-year plan, meaning the extended-range Tesla Model Y is more affordable than ever. Offer valid until June 30, 2025Elon clearly knows the power of the number seven – there are so many seats and it takes about that many seconds for this car to convince you.
And that's not all! Tesla has an even cheaper version of the Model Y up its sleeve
March brought another rumor: the arrival of cheaper Model Y with label E41, which is expected to see the light of day in 2026. This will be for those who want a Tesla, but less flashy and more economical. You could say it will be the “Model Y for the proletariat.”
Musk's factories in China are grinding like a rice mill
The Shanghai Gigafactory is Tesla's strongest card – with an annual capacity of around one million vehiclesIn March 2025, Tesla sold 100,000 cars in China. 74,127 vehicles, in the first quarter a total of 134.607If things continue like this, they'll probably need another gigaparking lot.
But... what about the dimensions, battery, range?
Well, that's (still) a secret. Tesla hasn't revealed the final specifications of the E80 version yet, but we expect:
- extended body and wheelbase (at least 2,960 mm or more),
- identical drives as the existing Model Y (RWD, Long Range, Performance),
- luggage compartment capacity of over 850 liters (including the third row of seats folded),
- expected price around 295,000 CNY (≈ €37,500), comparable to dollars.
When Tesla reveals more, we'll be first in line—with both questions and a measuring tape.
Conclusion: Tesla is not retreating – it is just becoming more expansive
In a world where electric cars compete not only in range and price, but also in premises, Tesla responds with logic: more seats = more love (and more sales). The new Model Y, codenamed E80, is clearly designed for a market where every inch and every seat in the car counts. Even for the father-in-law.
