• Plenty of families bought the Tesla Model X not for its fancy rear doors, but for its three-row convenience.
• With the X put out to pasture, Tesla needs to offer something a bit bigger than the Y, and it already makes such a car for the Chinese market.
• The new Tesla Model Y L's six-inch-longer wheelbase gives it a proper third row compared with the regular Model Y; the L Launch Series starts at $63,630.

The discontinuation of the Model S was the end of an era for Tesla, but not really something the company's accountants had to worry about much. Sedans, after all, don't have a huge audience these days, and there are always higher-content trims of the Model 3. However, the Model X folding its doors for the last time is more problematic, as it squeezes out families looking for a third-row solution. With the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9 offering plenty of space and electric range, the competition was right there.

Still, Tesla did already have a solution in its Chinese-market lineup with the long-wheelbase version of the Model Y. With six inches of additional wheelbase and a body that is seven inches longer, the Model Y L already provided a roomier experience for Tesla's customers in China, and now the company is bringing it to market in the United States.

Being also two inches taller than the standard Model Y, the long-wheelbase version looks a bit like some Tesla engineer attached a bicycle pump and inflated the styling slightly. It's not quite as long as the Model X was, but it should provide proper seating for six compared with the cramped quarters of the standard Y's optional third row.

In China, having a chauffeur is more common, and the Model Y L is targeted at providing a more comfortable experience for rear-seat passengers. The rear door openings are wider, and the launch edition for the U.S. model will come with captain's chairs in the second row. For parents who feel like they're already butler, chauffeur, and personal chef for their kids, your Little Lord Fauntleroys will enjoy the upgrade. Cargo space is 89 cubic feet, 12 more than the standard Y.

Further, the added space in the third row makes it actually useful for carpooling or longer trips with the whole family. The Model Y L Launch Series is priced at $63,630, and Tesla claims a 325-mile range when the vehicle is fitted with the standard 19-inch wheels; the optional 20-inchers will drop that by five miles or so.

The Launch Series also comes with the 83-kWh battery pack and dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup like the Model Y Premium, and Tesla claims it is slightly quicker to 60 mph and has the same 3500-pound max tow rating. The pricing is a $12,000 bump for the longer wheelbase, and you're mostly paying for the extra space, not a lot of extras.

As a stop-gap measure to keep Model X owners in the fold, a Model Y L for the U.S. market will probably do the job. Expect to see deliveries coming in the fall of this year.

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Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.