Tesla Inc. told buyers on Thursday that a bigger, three-row version of its best-selling SUV is finally on sale in the United States. In a post on its own social media channels, Tesla said customers in the U.S. and Puerto Rico can now order the Model Y Long Wheelbase — badged the Model Y L — with first deliveries expected in September.
The stretched SUV is built for families who found the regular Model Y too small in the back. It adds about 7 inches of total length and 6 inches between the front and rear wheels, and it swaps the standard car’s tight middle bench for a roomier two-seat-per-row layout. The result is a six-seat vehicle with captain’s chairs in the second row and a third row that adults can actually use. Tesla rates it at 325 miles of range and a 0-to-60 time of 4.4 seconds.
The price is the headline for most shoppers. The Model Y L arrives first as a fully loaded “Launch Series” that starts at $61,990, or about $63,380 once the mandatory delivery charge is added. That makes it the most expensive Model Y on sale — roughly $4,000 more than the $57,990 Model Y Performance and about $22,000 above the cheapest standard Model Y at $39,990.
That sticker surprised some in the auto business. Watchers had expected a U.S. price near $54,000, based on the roughly $4,000 premium the longer version carries over the standard car in China. Instead, Tesla reached for the top of the range. To soften the cost, the company is throwing in one year of Full Self-Driving (Supervised), one year of free Supercharging, one year of Premium Connectivity, and free choice of paint, interior color, and wheels for Launch Series orders.
Tesla is using a familiar playbook here. It often opens a new model with a loaded, higher-priced version to capture the most eager buyers first, then rolls out cheaper trims later. Whether more affordable Model Y L configurations follow will decide how competitive the vehicle really is against rivals.
And the rivals are real. The three-row electric family SUV, once a thin corner of the market, is now crowded. The Kia EV9 starts at $54,900 with up to 304 miles of range. The Hyundai Ioniq 9 starts at about $58,955 with up to 335 miles. Both undercut the Model Y L on price, which means Tesla is asking families to pay more for its badge and its Supercharger network at the exact moment Korean automakers are proving they don’t have to.
The bigger SUV also fills a hole in Tesla’s own lineup. The company has wound down its larger Model S sedan and Model X SUV in the U.S., leaving no roomy, more-than-five-seat option for shoppers who need one. The Model Y L steps into that gap. Third-row legroom of about 33 inches is now in the same range as gas-powered midsize SUVs like the Ford Explorer and Hyundai Palisade, according to figures Tesla provided.
Production is already running at Giga Texas in Austin, so this is a U.S.-built vehicle rather than an import. The longer Model Y first launched in China last summer, where it quickly became a hit, and later reached Australia, Malaysia, and other Asian markets. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk had said in August 2025 that U.S. production wouldn’t begin until roughly the end of 2026 — so the Thursday launch lands ahead of that earlier timeline.
The new model comes as Tesla’s overall numbers are improving. The company also said Thursday it delivered 480,126 vehicles worldwide in the second quarter, up 24.9% from the same period a year earlier. It was the second straight quarter of growth after a 6.3% rise in the first quarter. The Model Y remains the top-selling electric vehicle in the U.S., and research firm Cox Automotive reported that one of every three EVs sold in the country in the first quarter was a Model Y.
For everyday buyers, the takeaway is straightforward. Families who liked the idea of a Tesla but needed a real third row finally have one, with the range and quick acceleration the brand is known for. The catch is the price. At nearly $62,000 before options, the Model Y L is a premium buy in a segment where two well-reviewed competitors now cost thousands less. Tesla is betting there is enough pent-up demand — and enough loyalty to its charging network — to make that premium stick. The order books opened Thursday; the first driveways won’t see the vehicle until fall.
JBizNews Desk | Austin, Texas
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