Tesla teases a new Model Y L variant is ‘coming soon’ in a video posted to Chinese social media

A new Tesla variant is coming around the corner.

On Monday, Tesla posted a video of the upcoming Model Y L to its account on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform. Translated from Chinese, the post said that the vehicle was “coming soon.”

The video shows three rows of seats, the back two of which fold forward.

The middle row of the vehicle features two stand-alone “captain chairs,” which also appear to have new powered armrests that rise up. While the captain chairs in the Model X only tilt forward, these chairs appear to fold all the way down for more storage space.

The video also shows a black headliner, the material on the vehicle’s ceiling, and a new logo stamped on the back, with two small accents added to the traditional Model Y badge.

News of Tesla’s plans for a six-seat rendition of its Model Y first broke in 2024, when sources told Reuters that the vehicle would launch the following year in China. In July, Tesla registered plans for the Model Y L with a wheelbase of 3,040 mm, according to a filing viewed by the news outlet. The filing also indicated that the Model Y L would be almost 200 mm longer than the Model Y.

The Model Y is the most popular SUV in China. China is Tesla’s second-largest market, though the company’s sales have been sagging in the region amid fierce competition from BYD, Xiaomi, and Xpeng. Tesla sold 129,000 vehicles in China in the second quarter of 2025, down nearly 12% year-over-year.

BYD sold 1.76 million battery electric cars in 2024. Tesla sold 1.79 million cars that same year, edging out its Chinese competitor.

The Chinese smartphone and electric vehicle company Xiaomi recently launched its own SUV, underpricing Tesla. Chinese EV startup Xpeng also released a Model Y competitor below the Model Y sticker price.

It is not yet clear whether Tesla plans to launch the Model Y L in the United States. The vehicle’s price and launch date have yet to be announced.

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