New drone footage of Tesla’s factory in Fremont, CA shows units of the upcoming refreshed Model S with was looks like third-row seats.
Tesla unveiled the new Model S and Model X refresh last month during its Q4 and full-year 2020 earnings call. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the automaker would hold a separate call regarding the refreshed vehicles in the following weeks, but that never happened.
The updated Model S and Model X are set to feature a brand-new interior as well as a new powertrain. One of the most noticeable changes seen in the interior is Tesla’s new ‘yoke’ steering wheel, which was recently spotted in the wild for the first time.
More details regarding the changes made to the Model S and Model X will be confirmed once Tesla begins deliveries, which are expected to start any day now. Last month, Musk confirmed that the retooling of Model S/X production lines were almost complete, meaning deliveries are in the very near future.
New drone flyover footage of Tesla’s Fremont factory is clear proof that Tesla has indeed ramped up in production of its electric flagship vehicle as the clip shows a few dozen freshly produced Model S vehicles:
Youtuber Gabeincal shared the video and a few detail-oriented viewers were quick to point out what looks like third-row seats in one of the new units. If you look at the grey Model S in the bottom right corner of the picture below, you can see what looks like white seats in the back window:
The Model S originally came with the option for third-row jump seats, but was later discontinued. The original option for a third-row in a Model S were only equipped to seat children however. With the arrival of the Model S Plaid, Elon Musk was noted saying the option would become available again however, this time the additional seating would be big enough for an adult, transforming the refreshed Model S into a 7-seater sedan.
To date, the updated Tesla Model S configurator does not offer the option for third-row seating, but we are still expecting it as an option in the future. Not only does this new drone footage give us hope for a third-row seating option to become available for the new Model S, but that deliveries or on the verge of beginning.