Tesla has teased the long-awaited, more practical version of its top-selling Model Y, while information on the six-seat version of the mid-size electric SUV has simultaneously been revealed in a Chinese government filing.
The Tesla Model YL will sit above the Model Y, riding a longer wheelbase that frees up room for a third row of seating.
The US electric vehicle (EV) brand released an image of the Model YL’s silhouette on Chinese social media site Weibo, while the government filing – shared by, among others, Electrek – includes a couple of additional exterior views.
While no interior images have been shown yet, the Model YL is expected to have two seats in every row for a total of six.
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Tesla has confirmed on Weibo that it’ll be launched in China during the northern autumn (September to November) this year.
It looks almost identical to the Model Y from almost every angle bar side-on, so third-row occupants will have to contend with a sloped roofline.
This was already an obstacle to third-row comfort in the seven-seat Model Y previously offered in the US.
Apart from the longer body, there are only detail changes identifiable, including unique badging and a new alloy wheel design.
Here’s how the Model Y and Model YL compare in terms of exterior dimensions:
| Dimensions | Model YL | Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 4976mm | 4790mm |
| Width | 1920mm | 1920mm |
| Height | 1668mm | 1624mm |
| Wheelbase | 3040mm | 2890mm |
The government filing lists just one variant: a Long Range AWD, with 142kW front and 198kW rear electric motors, plus a nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery sourced from LG Energy Solutions.
Kerb weight is 2088kg, up front 1992kg in the Model Y Long Range AWD.
Given Model Ys are exported from Tesla’s Shanghai factory to markets including Australia, the Model YL could potentially come here.
This would give Tesla a three-row SUV for the first time since the Model X was discontinued locally.
If the Model YL remains exclusive to the Chinese market, however, it will simply be the latest in a long line of Chinese-market-only long-wheelbase Tesla variants, following others from Audi, BMW, Jaguar and more.
Even after the Model YL launches in China later this year, Tesla won’t be done with Model Y permutations.
There’s a new Performance flagship set to be revealed imminently, while Tesla confirmed earlier this year that “more affordable vehicles” – set to be based at least in part on its existing models – are set to enter production during the first half of this year.
The Model Y itself received a substantial facelift earlier this year, referred to as the Juniper update.
Tesla is feeling the heat in China as rivals like BYD, Xiaomi and Xpeng, among many others, continue to expand their EV lineups and offer sharp pricing.