Source: Tesla

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) has received regulatory approval to sell the Model Y L in Australia, with the extended-wheelbase six-seater appearing in the Australian government's ROVER vehicle certification database on February 23, 2026 — a milestone that typically precedes an official launch by a matter of weeks or months.

Source: X @Rob Grieves

The approval, first spotted by Australian Tesla enthusiast Rob Grieves via X, lists the variant under the designation YL5NDB. Tesla has not yet announced an official launch date or pricing for the Australian market, but regulatory clearance is generally considered the final significant procedural step before orders open.

The Model Y L debuted in China in August 2025 and began deliveries the following month, where it carries a starting price of 339,000 CNY (c. $49,300). The three-row model proved an immediate hit in its home market, with 2025 allocation selling out before year's end. The Australian approval confirms Tesla is producing right-hand-drive versions of the vehicle — a prerequisite for markets including Australia, the United Kingdom, and several Southeast Asian countries.

The vehicle is a structural departure from the standard Model Y. Its body measures 4,969 mm (195.6 in) in total length — 177 mm longer than the regular model — and rides on a 3,040 mm (119.7 in) wheelbase, extended by 150 mm. The additional length frees up enough cabin space for a 2+2+2 seating configuration, replacing the standard second-row bench with two individual captain's chairs and adding a third-row bench. A roofline raised by 44 mm provides the headroom necessary to make the rearmost row genuinely usable.

Source: Tesla

The Australian approval documents list a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain rated at 378 kW, paired with a nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack with a gross capacity of approximately 84 kWh and a usable capacity of around 82 kWh — the same pack used in the standard Model Y Long Range. The vehicle is approved with a staggered tyre setup: 255/45R19 at the front and wider 275/45R19 at the rear. The only wheel size available in the Australian specification is 19 inches.

On range, the Model Y L's European type-approval data — cleared in December 2025 via the Netherlands Vehicle Authority — points to up to 681 km (423 miles) on the WLTP cycle. In China, where the CLTC test cycle is more lenient, the rated range reaches 751 km (467 miles). The 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) acceleration figure for the Chinese-market version is 4.5 seconds.

Source: Tesla

Interior upgrades over the standard Model Y include an 18-speaker audio system, integrated front seat backrests, and variable-damping suspension. The Malaysian-market specification — likely close to what Australia will receive, given both markets are supplied by Gigafactory Shanghai — additionally features a 16-inch central touchscreen, power-extendable front seat thigh supports, a 50W wireless charging pad with active cooling, and rear-passenger air vents integrated into the B- and C-pillars. Total cargo volume with all seats folded reaches 2,539 litres, versus 2,130 litres in the five-seat model.

The Australian approval arrives weeks after EU type-approval, with European markets expected to be the first outside China to receive the vehicle. The confirmation of a right-hand-drive variant has also prompted speculation about a UK launch; Tesla Owners UK noted on X that a non-EU-built vehicle had been registered for sale in the UK in the same week. North America, by contrast, is not yet in line — CEO Elon Musk has said US production would not begin until late 2026 at the earliest, adding the qualifier "might not ever" given the potential trajectory of autonomous driving.

Tesla has announced that it will retire the Model X in June 2026, which means the Model Y L will effectively become the company's sole six-seat offering at a significantly lower price point than the outgoing flagship SUV — a gap the extended Model Y seems purpose-built to fill.

Whether Australian pricing lands closer to the Chinese equivalent or commands a meaningful premium for local compliance and logistics costs will determine how disruptive it proves in a family-SUV segment where seven-seat alternatives from BYD (HKG: 1211), Hyundai, and Kia are increasingly competitive.

Conversion rate: 1 USD = 6.88 CNY as of February 24, 2026