Tesla to launch ultra-long range Model Y thanks to new battery

Two months ago, Tesla announced its longest EV range model, offering up to 830 km CLTC of range and priced at the equivalent of $A57,700 in China.

That was the new single-motor Model 3 Long Range RWD variant, which made it to Australia earlier this month, delivering up to 750 km of WLTP range, making it the country’s highest range model on the market.

Now, according to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in China and reported by cnevpost, Tesla is planning on giving the Model Y the same treatment, rolling out a new variant with an expected range of around 700 km on the WLTP cycle.

That’s around 16% more than the current Long Range dual-motor variant sold in Australia, which comes with 600 km of range on a single charge.

This range upgrade is mainly due to the use of a new 78.4 kWh Nickel-Cobalt-Manganese (NCM) battery pack supplied by LG Energy for Tesla’s long-range vehicles in China.

On top of that, power is expected to be improved over the entry-level RWD variant and match the Model 3 Long Range RWD’s motor, bringing with it 225 kW of peak power.

More information on the new model is likely to be released in the coming months but if the Model 3 Long Range RWD filing appearing on Tesla China configurator is anything to go by, it’s likely to be just before Christmas.

It’s also unclear if this is a China-only model or if it would be exported to other markets, including right-hand-drive markets like ours in Australia.

Tesla currently offers the Model Y in three variants in Australia, including RWD Standard Range, AWD Long Range and the most recent addition, the AWD Long Range Performance.

Pricing of the RWD single-motor starts at $58,900 and delivers up to 520 km of range. The Long Range AWD variant starts at $68,900 before on-road costs. Both these models are made at Tesla’s most productive factory in China, GigaShanghai.

Performance variant, which has recently been upgraded with quite a few changes and sees an increase in price of more than $20,500 above the existing dual-motor Long Range model.

These include new exterior design, new performance powertrain, adaptive suspension and unique drive modes, 21″ Arachnid 2.0 wheels, carbon fibre interior trims, 16-inch touchscreen, performance sport seats, heating and ventilation and much more.

This more driver-focused Model Y is expected to start local deliveries on the tail end of this year, with December 2025 to February 2026 listed on the current configurator. It’s also the first model to be produced in Europe at Tesla’s GigaBerlin factory for the Australian market.

Whether the highest-range model spotted in the latest filing go into production in GigaBerlin for other markets in 2026, that’s to be seen. 

In the meantime, the Model Y AWD Long Range with 600 km of range on a a single charge is available to order with deliveries in only weeks from placing the order on Tesla’s configurator, which currently shows October – November 2025 estimated delivery time.