logo
Tesla's New Model Y L Brings More Space and More Power - But Only for China

Tesla's New Model Y L Brings More Space and More Power - But Only for China

Miami Herald4 days ago
The upcoming Tesla Model Y L is a longer, six-seat version of the standard Model Y. While the new variant hasn't gone on sale yet, Tesla has applied for a sales license with the country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. That filing revealed full details about the new model, including its dimensions, power output, and three-row layout. For now, though, it's only confirmed for the Chinese market.
Related: Tesla Model Y Aiming To Become A True Luxury Car This Year
This isn't just a standard Model Y with a third row squeezed in. Tesla stretched the wheelbase by 5.9 inches to make room for a full set of second-row captain's chairs and a third row behind them. That brings the total length to 195.9 inches, which puts it just 4 inches shy of the full-size Model X. The roofline is also slightly taller, and the whole thing gains about 212 pounds, tipping the scales at just over 4,600 pounds. It's not just bigger; it's also more powerful. The Model Y L runs a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup, with 456 hp in total – about 80 more hp than the current dual-motor version. The biggest visual giveaway, however, is its new triple Y badge at the back. While Tesla hasn't shared any acceleration figures, the documents confirm a slightly pedestrian 125 mph top speed.
China has been Tesla's strongest market for the Model Y. In 2024, the company sold over 480,000 units there, making the standard Model Y the best-selling car in the country. Nearly three-quarters of Tesla's Chinese sales came from that one model alone. But things have cooled off a bit.
Since the refreshed Juniper version launched in early 2025, Model Y sales in China have dropped more than 17 percent year over year. And with local rivals like Xpeng, Deepal, and Zeekr heating up the competition, Tesla needed something new to hold attention. That's where the Model Y L comes in. Chinese buyers tend to favor long-wheelbase cars - it's a common trend, even with sedans - so adding more room and a third row could help Tesla stand out in a crowded EV space.
There's no official word on whether the Model Y L will be offered outside of China. Still, it wouldn't be surprising if Tesla eventually rolled out something similar elsewhere. Three-row SUVs are always in demand in North America and Europe, but most options are either huge or expensive, often both. A stretched version of the Model Y could hit a sweet spot. It's cheaper and more efficient than a Model X, while still offering more flexibility for families or fleet buyers. But considering how many Chinese-exclusive cars never find their way across the pond, we wouldn't get our hopes up just yet.
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tesla sales cratered in California for 7 straight quarters while rivals Toyota and Honda surge, report shows
Tesla sales cratered in California for 7 straight quarters while rivals Toyota and Honda surge, report shows

Yahoo

time37 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Tesla sales cratered in California for 7 straight quarters while rivals Toyota and Honda surge, report shows

continues to see declines in new sales of its electric vehicles as it gears up for another earnings call with analysts on Wednesday. Tesla's dominance in California—the largest electric vehicle market in the U.S.—is waning. The $1 trillion company led by Elon Musk posted a seventh consecutive quarter of declines in new vehicle registrations even as major competitors like Toyota and Honda saw robust growth, according to data in the California New Car Dealers Association Q2 Auto Outlook. Year to date, Tesla registrations dropped 18.3% while Honda registrations rose 9.9% and Toyota registrations grew 8.5%, the report shows. Ford saw year to date growth in new registrations of 10.5% and Chevrolet grew a whopping 21%. Switch Auto Insurance and Save Today! Great Rates and Award-Winning Service The Insurance Savings You Expect Affordable Auto Insurance, Customized for You The Tesla Model 3 remains a top-selling passenger car in California with a 12.6% market share, but the Toyota Camry is nipping right on its heels at 12.2%, with the Honda Civic close behind at 11.5%. Californians have long had a love affair with zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) and the state currently holds 19.5% of ZEV registrations compared to the overall U.S. market share of 7.8%. Thousands of Cybertrucks have been registered in the state since they became available, even as registrations dropped to 25th place among alternative powertrains, while the Model Y and the Model 3 hold the top two spots among hybrids, ZEVs, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Tesla this week even opened the Hollywood Tesla Diner, an 24-7 outdoor eatery and supercharging station designed to look like a Drive-In theater that serves up burgers, fried chicken, and Shirley Temples. However, California carbuyers are being swayed by hybrids. The number of zero-emission vehicle registrations dropped to 45.3% from 53.4% last year, while Chevrolet's ZEV sales grew 80.5%. Furthermore, Tesla has been subject to protests due to Musk's affiliation with the President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) even though he has since gotten out of DOGE and exited his friendship with Trump. Meanwhile, Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' eliminated a $7,500 federal tax credit for new ZEVs and $4,000 on used vehicles. It will go away permanently on Sept. 30, 2025. Trump claimed eliminating the tax credit was the reason Musk criticized the tax bill, which Musk has denied. In 2022, the California Advanced Clean Cars II regulation mandated all new cars, trucks, and SUVs in the state be zero-emission by 2035, with a phased-in ramp up. In June, Trump signed a resolution wiping out California's ability to enforce the rule. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the state sued Trump over the resolution that same day. The fate of the regulation remains subject to the lawsuit. The gap in performance in EV-friendly California comes as automakers of all stripes are bracing for the blow from tariffs. General Motors announced on Tuesday that while the company beat earnings, second-quarter profits dropped, including a $1.1 billion hit from import taxes. Tesla reports quarterly earnings on Wednesday following the market close. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

These are the top 5 questions Tesla investors have ahead of the company's Q2 earnings call
These are the top 5 questions Tesla investors have ahead of the company's Q2 earnings call

Business Insider

timean hour ago

  • Business Insider

These are the top 5 questions Tesla investors have ahead of the company's Q2 earnings call

Tesla will provide an update on its second-quarter earnings on Wednesday. Investors want to know more about the company's progress on robotaxis and affordable Tesla models. Here are the top 5 questions they have for Tesla. Tesla investors have a lot to keep track of for the company's second-quarter earnings call on Wednesday. As Wall Street analysts eye near-term headwinds for Elon Musk 's company, investors appear to be curious about Tesla's longer-term bets, such as robotaxis and the humanoid Optimus robots. The top-rated question from an anonymous retail investor on Say, a communications platform for shareholders and companies, asks what the rate of expansion will be for Tesla's autonomous ride-hailing business. At publication, the question received more than 5,500 upvotes, representing about 2.8 million TSLA shares. Here are the top questions Tesla investors want to be addressed as of Tuesday evening. Robotaxi Tesla has been testing a "pilot launch" of its robotaxi service in Austin for about a month. Last week, the company expanded its service area map. California and Phoenix appear to be up next for a potential robotaxi rollout. Musk previously said the service's ramp-up should be quick, estimating about 1,000 robotaxis in Austin within the next few months "Can you give us some insight how robotaxis have been performing so far and what rate you expect to expand in terms of vehicles, geofence, cities, and supervisors?" an anonymous retail investor asked on Say. Affordable models Musk says Tesla is more than just a car maker, but investors still want to know: Where's the affordable Tesla? "Can you provide an update on the development and production timeline for Tesla's more affordable models? How will these models balance cost reduction with profitability, and what impact do you expect on demand in the current economic climate?" another retail investor asked. As Tesla experiences a sales slump, analysts previously told BI that delivering a cheaper model becomes increasingly crucial for the company. Full Self-Driving (Unsupervised) Tesla owners are currently limited to Full Self-Driving (Supervised), an advanced driver-assistance system that requires constant supervision of a driver. Business Insider previously tested the technology against Waymo 's robotaxis. (Tesla lost after it ran a red light.) At the end of June, the company announced its first autonomously delivered Model Y, driving further anticipation for an unsupervised version of FSD. "What are the key technical and regulatory hurdles still remaining for unsupervised FSD to be available for personal use? Timeline?" a retail investor asked. Musk on Sunday said on X that FSD users will see a "step change improvement as we integrate upgrades for the Austin robotaxi build into the general production release." Optimus Optimus, a humanoid robot, is one of Tesla's focuses that Musk says makes his company not just an EV play but an AI and robotics venture. Musk is so bullish on Optimus — and people's desires to have a personal robot — that the CEO said back in February that Optimus will be a ten-trillion-dollar revenue generator. He has also said that personal robots will unlock massive GDP growth and a "universal high-income situation." That's the long-term outlook. Investors want to know how Optimus will contribute to Tesla in the next couple of years. "What specific factory tasks is Optimus currently performing, and what is the expected timeline for scaling production to enable external sales? How does Tesla envision Optimus contributing to revenue in the next 2-3 years?" a retail investor asked. FSD (again) In a clear sign of high anticipation around improved self-driving capabilities, investors upvoted another question around FSD (Unsupervised) in personal cars. "When do you anticipate customer vehicles to receive unsupervised FSD?" another retail investor asked.

Bloomberg Daybreak Asia: US, Japan Reach Trade Deal; Mag Seven in Focus
Bloomberg Daybreak Asia: US, Japan Reach Trade Deal; Mag Seven in Focus

Bloomberg

timean hour ago

  • Bloomberg

Bloomberg Daybreak Asia: US, Japan Reach Trade Deal; Mag Seven in Focus

The record-breaking run in global stocks got fresh fuel to power the rally after the US reached a trade deal with Japan, an agreement with a key trading partner that eases concerns about the tariff war. MSCI's benchmark gauges for global equities and Asian shares both rose Wednesday. Contracts for the S&P 500 edged up on the tariff news after closing at its highest level Tuesday. Stocks in Japan jumped more than 2% with Toyota Motor Corp. and other automakers leading the gains. We break down the day's developments with David Aspell, Partner and Co-Chief Investment Officer at Mount Lucas Management. Plus - investors are also focused on megacap companies this week. Big Tech's strength will be on full display over the next few weeks as the group begins unveiling quarterly earnings. Tesla Inc. and Alphabet Inc. are reporting Wednesday. The so-called Magnificent Seven companies are expected to post a combined 14% rise in second-quarter profits, while earnings for the rest of the US equity benchmark are predicted to be relatively flat, according to Bloomberg Intelligence data. We discuss the role AI will play in those reports with Stephanie Leung, Chief Investment Officer at StashAway.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store