Tesla Model Y does have support for up to seven seats, but it only has the five-seat configuration for now. But the electric SUV will soon see a seven-seat model -- that's according to CEO Elon Musk on Twitter:
Probably early Q4 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 21, 2020
Musk on Twitter replied to a fan that a Model Y with seven seats will enter production at the beginning of 2020's fourth quarter. That could be as early as Oct. 1, but it could be as late as the last day of the year as well. Still, it's great news for those looking forward for more seating.
It's not known how Tesla would package a production Model 7 seven-seater -- after all; Musk only made known of it on Twitter. But it has been speculated in the past that the EV maker could install rear-facing seats, which would make it roomier for those sitting in the third row.
It's what Tesla did for the Model S sedan. It installed a rear-facing seat package so two children would fit at the back of the car. That should give us an idea of how the setup would look like in the Model Y.
For the moment though, Tesla is focused on ramping up production for the Model Y -- that's according to a leaked email from the CEO himself earlier this month. The email said that he wants to prioritize increasing production, telling his employees to reduce any hiccups in order to reduce errors in the after-production process.
"I want you to know that it really makes a difference to Tesla right now," Musk reportedly wrote.
Auto industry experts are saying; however, there have been signs that the Model Y isn't doing great in the market. The electric SUV has been added to Tesla's referral program already, and stay-at-home orders forced the company to shut down its factory in California just as the production for Model Y started.
What the issues impeding a quicker Model Y ramp up is, we're not really aware, but Musk has mentioned before issues with supply chain and production without detailing specifics.
Before the height of the coronavirus pandemic, which affected the entire auto industry, Tesla appeared to be on a decent trajectory to start producing the right number of Model Y SUVs.
It prompted Musk to freeze production and opt to make medical equipment for COVID-19 frontline workers instead. Tesla and other automakers have since donated surgical masks and face shields to hospitals and other medical facilities.
