Tesla has announced the launch of a new version of its best-selling Model Y crossover in China. The model is called the Model YL and features six seats due to the extended wheelbase.
The Model YL version is based on standard Model Ybut received modified dimensions. The car is about 180 mm longer, 24 mm taller, and its wheelbase has been increased by 150 mm. This made it possible to place a third row of seats, making the crossover more suitable for family use. The luggage compartment volume now reaches 2539 liters (if all the seats of the second and third rows are folded), and new electric armrests are provided for the second row. Other unique features of the YL include heated seats in all three rows, as well as ventilated seats in the first and second rows.
The third-row passengers have air vents on the rear pillars. Tesla promises that the rear seats have enough space to comfortably transport adults. To get out of the third row of the Model YL, passengers have buttons to electrically move the second-row seats forward.
Despite its larger size and weight, the Model YL has a claimed range of 751 km (CLTC) — even 1 km longer than the five-seat Model Y Long Range. However, this model is slightly slower than the standard version with the same battery and twin-motor powertrain. Tesla’s Chinese website indicates that the Model YL accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, compared to 4.3 seconds for the standard length model. The top speed is 201 km/h.
Tesla says it has also updated the YL’s suspension compared to the regular Y. The manufacturer says that the new product is equipped with shock absorbers with “continuously variable damping” that are not active (they cannot be made stiffer or weaker). This sounds very similar to the frequency-selective shock absorbers that the Model Y received as part of the Juniper restyling.
The price of the new Model YL starts at 339 thousand yuan (approximately $47,000). The first deliveries are expected in September. Thus, the six-seater is 25.5 thousand yuan ($3,600) more expensive than the Model Y Long Range AWD, but remains in the range of prices for this segment. In terms of price, the new model competes directly with other mid-market family electric crossovers from local brands, including Li Auto L8 and Aito M8, which is being developed with the support of Huawei.
Analysts note that such pricing is an attempt to maintain market share amid slowing sales. In July, deliveries of Chinese-made Tesla electric vehicles decreased by 8.4% compared to June, and domestic sales fell by 12% year-on-year. The situation is complicated by competition: local manufacturers such as BYD, Li Auto and Xiaomi regularly release cheaper models with more frequent updates amid the ongoing price war across the country.
Source: techspot, insideevs
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