Tesla had long promised to bring the Model Y L to the US market – and this week, it finally delivered. Since 2 July, the long-wheelbase variant has been available for online configuration. Tesla has chosen to launch this version exclusively as a fully equipped, all-wheel-drive model. The ‘Launch Edition’ is priced at $61,990 USD (approximately €54,100), which is higher than the current US price of the Model Y Performance and more expensive than three-row competitors like the Kia EV9 or Hyundai Ioniq 9.
The third row of seats is the defining feature of the Model Y L in the USA. Configured in a 2+2+2 layout, the interior space is expanded thanks to a 15-centimetre longer wheelbase (3.04 metres). The model’s overall length increases by 18cm to 4.98m. Tesla states that the L-model accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.4 seconds and offers an EPA-rated range of 523km (originally cited as 325 miles). The Model Y L for the US market is produced at Tesla’s factory in Texas.
This version, however, is not entirely new. In August 2025, Tesla introduced the Model YL in China and has since expanded its availability to Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. The design of the L-version remains largely unchanged, though the curved roof arch has been extended, and the rear end bears a slight resemblance to the larger Model X. Tesla’s goal is to improve space in the last row of seats, as the Model Y seven-seater available only in Europe, with its standard wheelbase, is already quite cramped. While Tesla has offered a third row of seats as an option for the standard Model Y in the USA since January (for a $2,500 surcharge), adults find it extremely tight. The launch of the Model Y L suggests that Tesla has identified a gap in the US market for a three-row, six-seat model that offers full practicality.
The ‘Launch Edition’ features individual premium seats in the second row, which, like the front row, are heated and ventilated. The third row also includes seat heating. Additionally, this edition comes with special emblems inside and out, twelve months of free ‘Full Self-Driving (Supervised)’, and twelve months of free charging on the Supercharger network. The long-wheelbase Model Y represents Tesla’s latest effort to maximise its existing model range. Just a few months ago, the Texas-based company introduced stripped-down versions of its high-volume models, the Model Y and Model 3, lowering the entry price for Tesla’s electric vehicles in the USA to under $40,000 – a crucial move to offset the loss of subsidies.
insideevs.com, electrek.co, tesla.com, x.com (Texas)