Tesla is preparing to launch S
Tesla Inc. is preparing to introduce a new, larger version of its global best-selling electric SUV in India as early as next week, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Model YL – a six-seat, long-wheelbase configuration that made its global debut in China last year – will be Tesla’s first new product in India after the Elon Musk-led carmaker’s slow market entry in the South Asian nation. The variant features three-row seating for families wanting more space than the standard five-seat Model Y, which Tesla started selling in India last July.
The new edition will be shipped from China’s Shanghai Gigafactory – the only site so far to make SUVs and from where Tesla also imports the Model Y standard and long-range variants for India.
The expanded lineup is part of Tesla’s broader effort to refresh its portfolio without launching an entirely new platform, as well as boost its lagging sales in India, where imported cars face tariffs ranging from 70% to 110%.
Tesla representatives in India and China did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on the new car launch.
According to India’s official vehicle registration data, Tesla registered only 227 cars in the country throughout 2025. Bloomberg News reported in January that the carmaker was forced to offer discounts of up to 200,000 rupees ($2,153) due to lower-than-expected demand as it tried to sell imported vehicles in India. The company originally aimed to use its entire 2,500-car annual quota last year.
Globally, Tesla is leaning on incremental upgrades and new variants like the Model YL to keep up with demand in an increasingly challenging electric-vehicle market. Its worldwide sales fell for the second consecutive year in 2025, causing China’s BYD Co. to lose the No. 1 EV-seller spot.
Tesla unveiled the Model YL in China in August, where it costs about 339,000 yuan ($49,679), putting it above the standard Model Y in the world’s biggest electric-vehicle market.
The company has indicated that the Model YL is not a China-only product. The vehicle has already been confirmed for markets like Australia and New Zealand and Tesla has hinted that other regions may follow.
