Tesla begins deliveries in the Chinese market of the updated long-wheelbase Model Y

Just a few weeks after the new long-wheelbase Model Y L went on sale in China, the American manufacturer has begun delivering the first units in this market. The company announced this important milestone through its account on the Chinese social network Weibo, sharing a few images of the delivery ceremony.

The units delivered so far correspond to orders placed during the pre-sale that began in mid-August. Chinese customers who order the new Model Y L today through the manufacturer’s website will, however, have to be a little more patient. Tesla is currently quoting October as the delivery date for new orders.

The Model Y L has a starting price in the Chinese market of 339,000 yuan, which is roughly 40,500 euros at the current exchange rate. As you would expect, it is therefore somewhat more expensive than the conventional five-seat versions of the Model Y, which cost between 263,500 and 313,500 yuan in this market.

It’s not just a matter of size

It is important to make clear, however, that this model doesn’t just offer a longer wheelbase, but also incorporates a number of other significant improvements. The most important of these is undoubtedly its new, higher-capacity battery pack with next-generation LGES cells, offering a total of 82 kWh compared with the 78.4 kWh of the five-seat Model Y Long Range with all-wheel drive. Thanks to this new battery pack, Tesla promises a CLTC range of more than 751 km for the Model Y L, despite its greater weight on the scales.

The new Model Y L also features a higher-resolution 16-inch central display, the same one we have seen here in Europe on the new Model Y Performance, compared with the 15.4-inch screen on the other versions.

With a length of 4.98 metres, this model is expected to attract a good number of customers in the Chinese market who are looking for a vehicle roomier than the standard 4.80-metre Model Y. It will be interesting to review the sales figures over the coming months, but given Chinese customers’ taste for long-wheelbase vehicles, everything points to the new Model Y L ending up as a success.

With the Model Y L, Tesla strengthens its position in the Chinese market, a market so competitive that a small detail such as not having a sufficiently spacious model can cost any manufacturer hundreds of thousands of sales.

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverTesla Model Y4 versions · from 39,990 €