Tesla Model Y. Credit: Tesla China
- The new variant, expected to be the Model Y Performance, has a 78.4 kWh battery pack, the same one used in Tesla’s longest-range models in China.
- The 659 km range is lower than that of the Model Y’s long-range versions, consistent with a performance positioning.
The new Model Y variant that Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) filed in China has a range of 659 kilometers.
The model entered a new energy vehicle (NEV) catalog for purchase tax exemptions released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Thursday. This is the first public confirmation of the variant’s range and battery information.
The vehicle has a 78.4 kWh battery pack that weighs 448 kilograms, implying an energy density of about 175 Wh/kg. Its curb weight is 2,027 kilograms and its range is 659 km.
That battery pack is the same one used in Tesla’s longest-range models in China, supplied by LG Energy Solution’s plant in the country.
The Model Y Long Range RWD, which uses the same pack, has a range of 821 km, while the Model 3 Long Range RWD is rated at 830 km.
The 659 km figure is significantly lower than those two models, and also below the 751 km of the six-seat Model Y L, consistent with a dual-motor performance positioning.
The new variant first appeared in a vehicle catalog released by the MIIT on July 10. According to the information available at the time, its top speed is 250 km/h, which is higher than the 201 km/h of all currently available Model Y variants.
The new vehicle uses a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup, with front and rear motors rated at 176 kW and 291 kW respectively. It comes with 21-inch wheels, another pointer to its performance positioning.
Tesla currently sells the Model Y RWD, Long Range RWD and Long Range AWD in China, as well as the six-seat Model Y L.
The RWD version starts at 263,500 yuan ($38,820), while the Model Y L is priced at 339,000 yuan.
Once launched, the Performance version could become the flagship of the lineup.
Tesla delivered 27,249 vehicles in China in July, down 32.91% year-on-year and the second consecutive month of decline.
Tesla Monthly Retail Sales in China 2024-2026
Month
2024
2025
2026
January
39,881
33,703
18,485
February
30,141
26,777
38,206
March
62,398
74,127
56,107
April
31,421
28,731
25,956
May
55,215
38,588
47,281
June
59,261
61,484
52,920
July
46,227
40,617
27,249
August
63,456
57,152
September
72,200
71,525
October
40,485
26,006
November
73,490
73,145
December
82,927
93,843
Tesla monthly retail sales in China
2024
2025
2026
The Model Y remains the mainstay, with 25,158 units delivered in China in July, accounting for 92.33% of the company’s local deliveries. The Model 3 contributed just 2,091 units, down 78.77%.
Tesla Model Y Monthly Sales in China 2024-2026
Month
2024
2025
2026
January
29,912
25,694
16,845
February
22,537
8,006
25,286
March
47,917
48,189
39,827
April
26,356
19,984
22,990
May
39,985
24,770
28,911
June
41,110
44,848
38,654
July
36,299
30,766
25,158
August
45,330
39,413
September
48,202
51,173
October
36,204
19,488
November
44,576
47,132
December
61,881
65,874
Tesla Model Y monthly sales in China
2024
2025
2026
Overseas markets, meanwhile, are supporting capacity utilization at the Shanghai plant. The facility exported 66,330 vehicles in July, a monthly record, making up 70.88% of its wholesale sales for the month.
In the first seven months, the Shanghai plant exported 295,324 vehicles, already exceeding its full-year 2025 total.
Tesla’s Shanghai plant exported 295,324 vehicles in the January-July period, up 130.12% year-on-year and already more than in all of 2025.
($1 = 6.7878 yuan)
