Tesla Model Y L approved for Aussie sale

THE Tesla Model Y L – the long wheelbase variant of the highly popular Model Y mid-size electric SUV – could soon be released Down Under, with the lengthened version now approved for sale.

Sporting seating for six, as opposed to the regular Model Y’s five seats, the extended wheelbase variant went on sale as a Chinese market exclusive in August last year.

Type approval documents published on the Australian government’s ROVER website reveal that the Model Y L has now received the legal green light for local sale.

Measuring 4969mm long, 1920mm wide, 1668mm tall, and with a wheelbase of 3040mm, the Model Y L is 177mm longer, 44mm taller, and has a wheelbase 150mm longer than the regular Model Y.

In the Chinese market, the Model Y L’s interior features two electrically adjustable, power folding, heated and ventilated captain’s chairs in the second row, as opposed to the regular three-seat bench. The two rear-most seats are also heated and power folding.

Furthermore, it gains an 18-speaker sound system, front seat power leg rests, and continuously variable damping shock absorbers over the Long Range Model Y sold in China.

Luggage capacity for the Model Y L is quoted at 2539 litres on Tesla’s Chinese website, a 401-litre increase over the standard Model Y.

According to the documents, the Model Y L shares its electric powertrain with the Premium Long Range All-Wheel Drive variant currently offered in Australia.

Tesla does not quote battery capacity or chemistry, nor power-output specifications for the Model Y, but a Lithium-Ion battery and an official power output of 378kW are stated in the documents.

Certification data from Europe – where the Model Y L has also been approved for sale – quotes an 88.2kWh battery capacity and a WLTP driving range of 681km on 19-inch wheels, an increase of 81km over the Long Range All-Wheel Drive currently sold in Australia.

Tesla is yet to reveal Australian pricing for the Model Y L. In China, it is priced at ¥339,000 ($A69,322.62), serving as the range-topping model above the Long Range All-Wheel Drive variant.

When it hits the Australian market, the Model Y L will likely slot into Tesla’s locally offered range above the Model Y Premium Long Range All Wheel Drive ($68,900 plus on-road costs) and below the Performance variant ($89,400 + ORCs).

The Model Y L isn’t the first version of Tesla’s mid-size electric SUV to feature more than five seats.

Currently, a seven-seat configuration is available for the Premium model grade in the United States. However, this option is not available on Australian Model Y examples.

While the Model Y L has been approved for sale locally, Tesla is yet to confirm an official Australia release date.