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Tesla's top-selling car is set to gain an extended-body variant with a roomier third row of seats than US examples, but it is not a certainty for markets outside of China.
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The much-rumoured, extended-length Tesla Model Y electric SUV – with six seats over three rows – has been exposed in China ahead of its showroom arrival later this year.
It is yet to be confirmed for Australia, but the Model Y L is built on the same production line as regular five-seat Model Ys sold locally – and shares much of its construction.
If it is sold in Australia, it would crown the Tesla model range, and return the US car giant to the three-row SUV category since the final local deliveries of the even-larger Model X in 2020.
Plans for the long-wheelbase Model Y were teased by Tesla on Chinese social media platform Weibo overnight, at the same time as full images of the new SUV were published by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Seating six across three rows, the Model Y L has been designed for the Chinese market, for which earlier seven-seat versions of the standard-length Model Y sold in the US were deemed too tight on passenger space in the rear-most seats.
It measures 4976mm long, 1920mm wide and 1668mm tall – 186mm longer overall and 46mm taller, but no wider, than the regular Model Y – on a 150mm-longer wheelbase.
Bodywork appears to be shared with the standard Model Y from the front doors forward, but the L version gains longer rear doors and an extended rear overhang to package the third row of seating.
Tesla designers have blended the longer rear end with the front of the vehicle such that the swoopy roofline has been retained, and it is hard to notice a major difference without a side-by-side comparison.
Other design changes include a new, black rear spoiler on the tailgate, 'Model YYY' badging, a fresh alloy wheel design, and what looks to be a new gold exterior colour.
No images of the interior have been released, but visible through the windscreen in the front three-quarter image is a new front seat design akin to the latest Model 3 Performance sedan, but with different headrests.
Chinese government homologation data indicates the Model Y L may be sold only in Long Range all-wheel-drive trim, with 142kW front and 198kW rear electric motors, and a nickel-manganese-cobalt battery.
The Model Y L is said to weigh 2088kg, up from 1992kg for the standard-length Long Range AWD variant – an increase likely to come at the cost of performance and driving range.
Reports indicate its rear tyres have been widened to 275mm wide – from 255mm – to accommodate the larger, heavier bodywork.
More details of the 2026 Tesla Model Y L are expected in the coming weeks, as the US car giant formally unveils the new vehicle ahead of a Chinese showroom arrival in the northern hemisphere autumn (September to November).
Plans to sell the vehicle in other markets are yet to be confirmed.
It is common for car makers to develop long-wheelbase vehicles exclusively for Chinese customers, who prioritise rear-seat space, but Tesla rarely develops new models for a single market only.
The extended Model Y's introduction comes as Tesla prepares a smaller version of its top-selling SUV, which is mooted for global sale as a more affordable entry point to its line-up.
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Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
