Tesla has launched the Model Y L, its stretched, three-row, six-seat SUV, in the US and Puerto Rico. The automaker confirmed the launch on Thursday, with the vehicle now configurable online.
The Model Y L arrives first as a “Launch Series” priced at $61,990 — more than Tesla’s own Model Y Performance and both of its main three-row EV rivals.
What the Model Y L is
The Model Y L is a longer version of Tesla’s best-selling SUV. It adds 150 mm (5.9 inches) to the wheelbase, bringing it to 3,040 mm, and roughly 180 mm (7 inches) to overall length, opening up room for a third row.
Tesla is using the space for a 2+2+2, six-seat layout rather than a squeezed-in seven-seat bench. The second row gets independent captain’s chairs with heating, ventilation, powered armrests, and one-touch fold, while the third row gets heated seats with power recline and child-seat anchors.
Tesla claims 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds and 325 miles of EPA-estimated range for the L — quicker than the standard Model Y and with more range than most three-row electric SUVs on the market. But it’s also amongst the smallest.
The company also lists 89 cubic feet of cargo space, adaptive damping, staggered tires, upgraded acoustic glass, a 19-speaker audio system, a second-row 8-inch touchscreen, 50W cooled wireless charging pads, and FSD Supervised with integrated Grok AI.
We first reported on the longer Model YL when Tesla announced it in July 2025 and launched internationally. A US-bound prototype was spotted testing on American roads in April. Today’s launch confirms the US arrival that Tesla had signaled for months.
The price is the story
Tesla launched the Model YL in China in August 2025 starting at roughly $47,000, and it has since expanded the model to Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.
Analysts had expected a US price around $54,000, based on the roughly $4,000 premium the L commands over the standard Model Y in China. Instead, Tesla opened US orders with a $61,990 Launch Series — a fully-loaded, all-wheel-drive trim that sits about $4,000 above the $57,990 Model Y Performance and roughly $22,000 above the $39,990 rear-wheel-drive Model Y.
Tesla has used the “Launch Series” playbook before, opening a new variant with a loaded, higher-priced version before rolling out cheaper trims. Whether more affordable Model Y L configurations follow will determine how competitive the vehicle actually is.
Competitive context
At $61,990, the Model Y L launches into an increasingly crowded segment in the EV market: the three-row family SUV.
The Kia EV9 starts at $54,900 with up to 304 miles of range, and the Hyundai Ioniq 9 starts at $58,955 with up to 335 miles. Both undercut the Model Y L’s Launch Series price, though the Tesla counters with a quicker 4.4-second 0-60.
Tesla’s move also fills a gap in its own lineup. The company added a cramped third-row option to the standard Model Y in the US in January and launched a seven-seat Model Y in Europe in February, but neither delivered genuine adult-friendly third-row space. The L is Tesla’s first real answer to buyers who need six usable seats.
Electrek’s Take
Top comment by WazSup?
Tesla claims 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds, why is everyone obsessed with this stat on cars? It's like having a car that goes 160, and I say on what road? A $35K car will haul groceries just as well as a $100K car.
The Model Y L is the vehicle three-row Tesla shoppers have actually been waiting for. The stretched wheelbase and 2+2+2 layout make the third row usable in a way the standard Model Y’s jump seats never were, and 325 miles of range with a 4.4-second 0-60 is a genuinely strong spec sheet for a family EV.
The question is the $61,990 Launch Series price. That’s more than the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 start at, and it’s more than a Model Y Performance. Tesla clearly knows there’s pent-up demand — the Chinese YL has been a hit — and it’s testing how much of a premium buyers will pay for the badge and the Supercharger network. Launch Series pricing is designed to skim the most eager buyers first, so cheaper trims almost certainly follow.
For now, Tesla is asking three-row buyers to pay a Tesla tax at the exact moment Hyundai and Kia are proving you don’t have to. The real test is what a “regular” Model Y L costs once the Launch Series sells through — and whether it lands closer to that $54,000 the market was expecting.
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