Tesla Model Y Performance Could Get 659 km of Range in China

Tesla’s latest Model Y variant in China could offer 659 kilometers (409 miles) of range, according to information filed with Chinese regulators.

The vehicle uses a 78.4-kilowatt-hour battery and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, with several details pointing toward a performance-focused position in Tesla’s expanding Model Y lineup.

New Model Y gets performance-focused setup

The new variant appeared in China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) catalog for vehicles eligible for purchase tax exemptions, providing the first public confirmation of its battery and range figures.

The vehicle uses a 78.4 kWh battery pack weighing 448 kilograms (987 pounds), with an energy density of about 175 Wh/kg. Its curb weight is 2,027 kg (4,469 pounds), while its listed range is 659 km (409 miles), according to CNEV Post.

The battery is supplied by LG Energy Solution’s Chinese plant and is the same battery pack used by Tesla’s longest-range models in the country.

However, the new Model Y does not match those vehicles for range. The Model Y Long Range RWD uses the same battery and is rated at 821 km (510 miles), while the Model 3 Long Range RWD reaches 830 km (516 miles).

The new variant also falls below the 751 km (467 miles) range listed for the six-seat Model Y L.

That shorter range appears consistent with the vehicle’s expected performance positioning. The model uses dual motors rated at 176 kW and 291 kW, respectively, with all-wheel drive. It also gets 21-inch wheels and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph), compared with 201 km/h (125 mph) for the currently available Model Y variants in China.

The vehicle is expected to be the Model Y Performance, although the supplied filing information does not officially identify it by that name.

Tesla’s Model Y remains key in China

Tesla currently sells the Model Y RWD, Long Range RWD, Long Range AWD and six-seat Model Y L in China. The standard RWD version starts at 263,500 yuan ($38,820), while the Model Y L starts at 339,000 yuan.

If launched as a Performance variant, the new model would sit at the top of the Model Y lineup in China.

The update comes as Tesla continues to face weaker sales in the Chinese market. Tesla delivered 27,249 vehicles in China in July, down 32.91% year over year and marking its second consecutive monthly decline.

The Model Y accounted for 25,158 of those deliveries, or 92.33% of Tesla’s local total. Model 3 sales reached just 2,091 units, down 78.77% year over year.

At the same time, Tesla’s Shanghai factory continues to rely heavily on exports. The plant exported 66,330 vehicles in July, a monthly record that represented 70.88% of its wholesale sales for the month.

Through the first seven months of 2026, Shanghai exports reached 295,324 vehicles, already exceeding the plant’s total for all of 2025.

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