Key Takeaways
1. A longer version of the Tesla Model Y, potentially a six-seat Model Y L, has been spotted in China, suggesting a fall launch.
2. The vehicle is camouflaged, hiding design elements that may indicate a new C-pillar for increased headroom and a bulkier design for a more spacious interior.
3. Leaked specifications confirm the Model Y L will be seven inches longer, six inches longer in wheelbase, and nearly two inches taller than the five-seat version.
4. The camouflage complicates the assessment of the third row’s presence and spaciousness, with comparisons made to the six-seat Model X regarding seat layout and access.
5. There are rumors that the Model Y L might be released outside of China, with hints of a possible seven-seater version for the US later this year.
A longer version of the Tesla Model Y has been spotted driving on public roads in China, raising questions that this could be the much-anticipated six-seat Model Y L that Tesla mentioned for a fall launch in the region.
Camouflaged Design
The suspected Model Y is seen wrapped in camouflage, hiding both its front and rear sections. Interestingly, Tesla has also concealed part of the C-pillar and the rear door handles from view.
Possible Features
This might suggest that Tesla is covering a newly designed C-pillar, which could elevate the SUV to provide more headroom for the rumored third row of seats. The back of the vehicle appears somewhat bulkier than the current sleek design of the five-seat Model Y, showing less slope on the trunk door, suggesting a more spacious interior.
The Model Y L logo implies that there will indeed be three rows of seats, and more information is expected to emerge before its release this fall.
Leaked Specifications
Tesla likely didn’t need to hide so much, as the design of the Model Y L has already been revealed through the local vehicle certification database. This has confirmed that the six-seat Model Y will have larger measurements, including a body that is seven inches longer, a six-inch longer wheelbase, and an increase in height of nearly two inches.
This indicates that the first three-row Model Y will offer a more comfortable experience for passengers in the back compared to the seven-seater, which merely adds two child seats to the trunk of the five-seater and calls it done.
Design Uncertainties
However, the way the vehicle is camouflaged makes it hard to determine whether there is indeed a third row of seats or how spacious they might be. A good comparison is the six-seat Model X, which features four captain chairs in the first two rows and two standard seats in the back. Accessing that third row is much simpler in the Model X due to its falcon wing doors, but it remains uncertain how Tesla will manage this in the Model Y L.
Future Possibilities
There are some rumors suggesting that the Model Y L could be released outside of China, and Tesla’s Lars Moravy hinted that a version with additional seats might be making its way to the US later this year, though he probably referred to a seven-seater model, ideally with a longer wheelbase as well.
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