Early Chinese Tesla Model Y L reviews show good dynamics, cramped 3rd row
Tesla released its larger, six-seat Model Y L in China one week ago, and now we’re starting to get an idea of what it’s capable of from the earliest reviews.
Here at Electrek, we usually prefer to conduct our own reviews for cars, rather than reporting on the reviews of others. However, the Model Y L is out in China, and we’re not in China right now, so… this is what we get.
And, heck, we may not even ever get a chance to look at it in the US, given that Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently said that the Model Y L might never come to the US because of autonomy (huh?)… though frankly, that seems more of an effort for Tesla not to Osborne effect itself, causing consumers to delay purchases until the Y L comes out, when the company is already struggling with sales.
So, what are they saying about the new Model Y L in China? Well, there are a few points that seem to be coming together so far.
Namely, even though the main feature of the new model is a third row with two seats, those seats seem rather compromised when it comes to holding adults.
A number of Chinese media have visited Tesla showrooms to try out the seats in the new model, and while they can squeeze into the back, it’s a little bit tight for a grown adult.
One of the earliest showroom visits said that “the third row cannot be the new selling point of Model Y” (article in Chinese; quote was machine-translated).
The reviewer is 170cm, or 5’7″ tall, which is not all that tall, particularly from a Western perspective. While he had reasonable knee space in the back (where foot room is somewhat cramped due to the floor being about 10cm/4in higher in the third row), he was concerned about his head being quite close to the glass when sitting up, potentially causing a strike if riding on a bumpy road.
Also, while this test happened inside a showroom, having a window right over your head could be uncomfortable on a sunny day, even through Tesla’s UV- and infrared-resistant glass.
The apparent lack of rear seat headroom is notable given that the one real visual difference between the Y and Y L is that the rear looks much taller in the Y L – and yet, the headroom is still iffy for even a not-particularly-tall adult.
Other reviews concur that while knee room seems okay in the third row, the raised floor means little to no thigh support for adult passengers, and little headroom as well.
That said, reviews state that the seats are nicer than in the original Model Y, with more comfortable seat cushions, adjustable headrests, extendable thigh cushions, 2nd row adjustable armrests, seat heaters for all three rows and ventilators for the first two, and air vents in each row.
So, it seems like the general consensus is that the third row will mostly be used in emergencies, or for kids, or for short trips, but that the car is nice for a family – as long as those kids aren’t too big. Though to be fair, that is the case with many third rows.
Rear trunk space seems… fine, but there’s only so much room you can expect when you’ve crammed another row into the vehicle. And both the second and third row fold down, with the third row offering a relatively flat floor when folded down, though the second row has gaps and bumps and does not offer a flat floor when folded.
For comparison, the Model Y L is 180mm, or about 7 inches, longer than the regular Model Y – and a seat is a lot longer than 7 inches, so something has to give. The rear trunk area still has Tesla’s traditional under-floor storage space, which seems quite ample, and the “frunk” area is also similarly deep to the Model Y.
When compared to direct competitors available in China, the competition tends to be larger and have more third row space. For example, the Onvo L90 is $8,000 cheaper but larger and more comfortable in the third row. The Model Y L is in fact the smallest vehicle among its direct competitors, which I actually admire Tesla for doing (cars are just too big). But this does make the vehicle feel like a bit of a compromise.
It’s also missing some of the newer features that Chinese consumers have gotten used to, like a fridge, large rear-seat TV or seat massagers. Which makes the Model Y L seem a little dated for the Chinese market – but compared to what the rest of the world is used to, it seems quite nice. Such is the pace of innovation driving the EV market in China right now, while we in the rest of the world actively try to send ourselves back to the stone age.
And yet, despite it comparing less favorably on features to its Chinese competitors, and comparing more favorably to those cars outside of China, Musk still claims it won’t come to the US. He’s just so full of good ideas lately.
Beyond the issue of third-row space, the first driving dynamic test we saw seems quite positive. Youtube channel GeekLaii goes over the tests, where the car did quite well despite being fully loaded with adults, adding 500kg (1,102lbs) worth of human cargo.
The car did well in this impromptu “moose test,” a type of test that analyzes a vehicle’s ability to swerve around a sudden obstacle in the road at high speed. Despite being filled with people and having quite a lot of body sway, the car remained stable. This was likely helped by the Model Y L’s relatively low weight compared to the competition, which helps driving dynamics significantly.
And even after the sway, the car settled itself relatively well, likely due to the addition of CDC active dampers to the suspension system (this is adjustable through the touchscreen, with “balance” and “rear seat comfort” settings). The new suspension system also gave improved speed bump comfort.
Although, the car’s longer length, and lack of rear-wheel steering (which the Cybertruck has, for example), mean quite a large turning circle. And braking performance was good, but got worse when the car was loaded with people (as you’d expect).
All in all, it seems like the vehicle is a competent step forward with a lot of improvements, but that it might fall short when compared to the rest of the market in China, particularly in terms of third-row usability. But it still maintains the good driving dynamics that someone would expect from a Tesla.
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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Solar panel giant Qcells announced today that it’s temporarily furloughing 1,000 US workers – 25% of its workforce – and reducing pay and shifts at its factories in northeast Georgia due to supply chain delays caused by US Customs.
Qcells furloughs 1,000 workers
The supply chain delays are hindering the company’s ability to import components to build its solar panels. This has resulted in Qcells’ two factories in Cartersville and Dalton being unable to operate at full capacity for several months.
Qcells spokeswoman Marta Stoepker shared the following statement in an exclusive with Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta:
The company says the furloughed workers, who were notified this afternoon, will retain full benefits and won’t be laid off. However, Qcells will no longer be using staffing agency employees in Georgia “at this time.”
As Qcells introduced new supply chains to support its growing solar panel manufacturing facilities in Georgia, the company was recently forced to scale back production while our shipments into the US were delayed in the customs clearance process.
Although our supply chain operations are beginning to normalize, today we shared with our employees that HR actions must be taken to improve operational efficiency until production capacity returns to normal levels.
Stoepker said it expects to bring the furloughed workers back “in the coming weeks and months.” She continued:
Our commitment to building the entire solar supply chain in the United States remains. We will soon be back on track with the full force of our Georgia team delivering American-made energy to communities around the country.
Electrek’s Take
In January 2023, the Seoul-headquartered Qcells announced it would invest more than $2.5 billion to build a solar supply chain in Georgia – the largest-ever investment in clean energy manufacturing in the US to date. That included expanding the Dalton solar factory and building a fully integrated solar supply chain factory in Cartersville, Georgia, that will manufacture solar ingots, wafers, cells, and finished panels.
It’s not quite there yet, because that takes time. In the meantime, it’s being penalized by Customs. The US government under Trump says it’s keen on boosting domestic manufacturing. Why would it work against a company that’s onshoring an entire solar supply chain, including recycling?
Dalton and Cartersville employ nearly 4,000 people. Its total output will reach 8.4 GW of solar production capacity per year, which is equivalent to nearly 46,000 panels per day – enough to power approximately 1.3 million homes annually.
It’s ludicrous that it has been forced to furlough a quarter of its workforce due to the ineptness of the Trump administration’s US Customs policies. This is right up there with the ICE arrests at Hyundai’s plant in Georgia. Bravo.
Read more: Georgia gives US solar panel manufacturing a big boost with a new factory
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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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The breakthrough EV batteries Toyota says will double driving range and cut charging times are facing another setback. The company is once again delaying plans for a new battery plant in Japan.
Why is Toyota delaying its EV battery plant this time?
Earlier this year, Toyota bought a 280,000-square-meter plot of land in Fukuoka, Japan, where it planned to build a plant to produce the more advanced EV batteries.
A location agreement was expected to be signed by April, but Toyota pushed back construction by several months, blaming slower-than-expected demand for electric vehicles.
The agreement was expected to be finalized this Fall, but that will no longer be the case. According to Nikkei, Toyota is delaying the EV battery plant for the second time. Toyota will review and adjust plans over the next year.
Fukuoka governor, Seitaro Hattori, confirmed the news with reporters on Friday following a meeting with Toyota’s president, Koji Sato. Hattori also shut down claims that Toyota was planning to scrap the battery plant altogether.
Toyota again blamed slowing EV demand for the delay. The decision comes despite Keiji Kaita, president of Toyota’s Carbon Neutral Advanced Engineering Development Center, confirming at the Japan Mobility Show just last week that it’s “sticking on the schedule” to introduce its first solid-state battery-powered EV by 2028.
Last month, Toyota said it aimed to “achieve the world’s first practical use of all-solid-state batteries in BEVs” after securing a partnership with Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. to mass-produce them. It’s also working with Japanese oil giant Idemitsu.
The company recently revealed a solid-state battery pack prototype that it claims can deliver 747 miles (1,200 km) range and 10-minute fast charging, but will we ever see it actually in production?
Electrek’s Take
Toyota has been making empty promises about EV batteries for almost a decade now. It initially planned to introduce solid-state EV batteries in 2020, then pushed it to 2023, then 2026, and now it’s saying it will be around 2028.
Mass production is likely closer to the end of the decade, if Toyota doesn’t delay it again. While it’s blaming the slowing demand, global EV sales are still on the rise. According to Rho Motion, global EV sales topped 2 million for the first time in a single month in September 2025. Through the first nine months of the year, EV sales are up 26% compared to the same period in 2024.
Even with the US ending the $7,500 federal tax credit and other policies designed to promote electric vehicles, global adoption will continue building momentum over the next few years.
Is it a demand issue, or is Toyota just looking for another excuse? With rivals like Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, BMW, and Honda advancing next-gen EV batteries, Toyota will only fall further behind if it continues delaying key projects.
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