Tesla Announces New Extended Wheelbase Model YL for China
The Tesla Model Y has long offered a small third-row seat for American buyers, but the automaker recently debuted a new extended variant for the Chinese market. The Model YL comes with six seats and all the goodies to keep those people comfortable and entertained.
Tesla priced the YL at around $47,000, but it’s limited on configuration options, only offering 19-inch aero wheels and a black interior to start. The Model Y’s wheelbase increased almost six inches to 119.7 inches, and the new model is seven inches longer than the standard model. The SUV is also available with advanced driving assistance systems for an extra charge.
Inside, Tesla equips heated seats across all three rows, and the first two come with ventilation. The Model YL also has powered armrests for second-row passengers, and the third-row seats have individual air vents on the rear pillars. Cargo space grew with the extended model, reaching 89.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.
The YL’s range is about the same as the standard model, at up to 466 miles on the CLTC cycle, and its acceleration numbers remain strong, at 4.3 seconds from 0-62 mph. The SUV has beefier suspension to cope with the extra mass, which includes continuously variable dampers and other upgrades.
[Images: Tesla]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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TBH this would sell fine in the US too.
I’m shopping for a three-row EV that’s an upgrade from my 7-seat Model Y. My family’s outgrowing our electric sportwagon, so we need an actual minivan/crossower.
The Ioniq 9, the EV9, and the ID.Buzz are all actually suited for the task — especially the Ioniq 9.
For my purposes, a stretched Model Y isn’t going to be enough of an upgrade over what I already have (especially with Tesla’s decontenting efforts and their CEO’s efforts to alienate half of the customer base with his politics have not having been reversed yet), so this car isn’t going to open my wallet.
But more sizes and shapes is exactly what I want to see from Tesla, in order for them to keep selling EVs, so I wish them success selling this LWB EV sportwagon to people who aren’t me!