July 2 (Reuters) – Tesla on Thursday unveiled a six-seat, long-wheelbase version of its “best-selling Model Y SUV in the U.S.,” as it seeks to boost sales of its electric vehicles after the removal of a key tax break.
According to Tesla’s website, the starting version will cost $61,990.
Instead of launching new models, Tesla is introducing variants of the Model Y and the Model 3 compact sedan to stoke demand.
Last year, the company introduced a longer version called Model YL in China, boosting sales in the region despite stiff competition from BYD and other domestic automakers.
The company later expanded sales of the model to other markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The three-row model, which offers a range of 325 miles, is expected to help restore some demand in the US after a “slowdown” due to the elimination of a federal tax credit last year.
Tesla on Thursday posted record second-quarter delivery figures that beat Wall Street estimates, driven by a recovery in Europe, raising hopes that the electric car maker can end a two-year streak of annual declines in 2026.
(Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru and Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; Editing by Sahal Muhammad)