Has Tesla launched the Model Y L, targeting the Chinese who prefer large cars?

While Elon Musk is vigorously forming the "American Party", he finally remembers the automotive sector in his business empire.

On the evening of July 16th, Tesla's official WeChat account announced that the new model, Model Y L, will be launched this autumn.

Just one hour before Tesla's official announcement, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology also published the "Announcement of Road Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and Products" (Batch No. 397), and Tesla's new car was prominently listed.

The new car is a pure - electric six - seat SUV with dimensions of 4976mm * 1920mm * 1668mm and a wheelbase of up to 3040mm. It is positioned between Model Y and Model X. Currently, market forecasts suggest that the car's price will be around 300,000 - 400,000 RMB.

Previously, Tesla had launched a seven - seat version of Model Y overseas, but it was not widely welcomed by the market. It can be clearly seen from overseas videos that the third - row seats in this version are cramped and only suitable for young children.

The new Model Y L is expected to solve the problem of cramped space.

Meanwhile, a recent report from Goldman Sachs pointed out that with a longer body length than Model X and a lower price, Model Y L is expected to help Tesla better explore the three - row SUV market segment.

It is worth noting that the launch of the new car comes at a time when Tesla is facing a decline in sales.

Since the beginning of this year, Tesla's global sales have been disappointing. The Chinese market, which used to help Tesla achieve counter - cyclical sales growth, has also shown weak purchasing power this year. In the first half of 2025, Tesla's global deliveries reached 720,800 units, a year - on - year decrease of 13.3%. Among them, the sales volume in the Chinese market reached 263,400 units, a year - on - year decrease of about 5.4%.

In addition to Musk's involvement in politics, the single - model lineup and the rigid product structure are also reasons for the decline in Tesla's sales. Founded in 2003, Tesla currently only has two main models, Model 3 and Model Y, which account for 97.3% of Tesla's total deliveries.

Against this background, Tesla has adopted the common method in the automotive industry of "using new products to boost sales" and launched the pure - electric six - seat Model Y L. By entering the six - seat SUV market, Tesla clearly understands the current consumption psychology of the Chinese people.

On the one hand, the implementation of the two - child and three - child policies in China has changed the traditional family structure and the number of family members. The large space of a six - seat SUV can solve the pain point of family travel. On the other hand, compared with other large - space models, the "2 + 2+2" seat layout is more flexible, and it is more convenient to get in and out of the third row. In addition, under the same technical level and power type, a six - seat SUV consumes less energy than a seven - seat MPV.

You Tianyu, the managing director of Kailian Capital, once mentioned in an interview with the media that "from the perspective of the physical size and core functions of the vehicle model, the six - seat SUV has actually diverted some market demand that might otherwise have gone to MPVs. Compared with MPVs, large six - seat SUVs usually have better driving visibility, stronger road passability, and a more fashionable and sporty appearance design. At the same time, they ensure the comfort and convenience of the core seating space (especially the third - row independent seats), making the vehicle's comprehensive performance stronger and more 'all - around', better meeting the 'one - car - for - multiple - uses' expectations of family users."

Facts have also proven that new - energy six - seat SUVs are gradually gaining popularity among the Chinese people. According to data from Huachuang Securities, in 2023, driven by new domestic models such as Li L9, the cumulative annual sales volume of the domestic six - seat SUV market reached 1.13 million units. In 2024, this figure is expected to reach 1.25 million units. The sales data has been increasing year by year.

In the United States, there is also a vast market for three - row SUVs waiting for Tesla to capture. According to statistics from Motor Intelligence, in 2024, the mid - size SUV market in the United States accounted for one - fifth of the total automotive market.

A report from Huachuang Securities mentioned that "it is expected that 2025 will be a big year for the launch of six - seat SUV models. Among them, economy models priced at 200,000 RMB are expected to form a new blue - ocean market and expand the market, while high - end models priced above 300,000 RMB may become a red - ocean market facing fierce competition."

Indeed, since 2025, many mainstream automakers have launched new - energy six - seat SUV models in an attempt to gain a first - mover advantage in this market. For example, the six - seat version of AITO M8 from Hongmeng Zhixing, which received 20,000 orders in June, the newly launched LeDao L90 from NIO, and the upcoming Li i8, are all strong competitors that Tesla's Model Y L will face.

"The key is for Tesla to grasp the timing and rhythm of the new car launch. The pricing strategy and feature configuration of the new car are also crucial to its success," the Goldman Sachs report mentioned. "It is believed that the scale advantage and pricing strategy of the new car will help Tesla capture the important three - row SUV market segment."

Goldman Sachs predicts that the deliveries of Tesla's new models (Model Y L and the low - cost version of Model Y) will reach 30,000 units in 2025. Thereafter, the sales volume of the new cars will increase year by year, reaching 175,000 units and 375,000 units in 2026 and 2027 respectively.

This article is from the WeChat official account "Zhiwei". Author: Jinli, Editor: Dabing. Republished by 36Kr with permission.