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Featured photo: Ethan Llamas / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), cropped.
Research-Based Recommendation
Here are the measurements, what owners have confirmed fits, and how the 2025–2026 Juniper refresh changes the answer.
Tesla Model Y Sub-Trunk Dimensions
The sub-trunk is the hidden well under the rear cargo floor. It isn’t a clean box: it’s widest at the front, tapers toward the bumper, and the floor panel needs a little clearance to lie flat. Owner measurements of the 2020–2024 car cluster around these numbers:
- Width: about 31 inches at the widest point, narrowing to roughly 27 inches toward the back
- Front to back: about 18 inches
- Depth: about 14 to 15 inches to the underside of the floor panel
Treat those as a ceiling, not a target. Coolers have handles, lid overhangs and feet that the spec sheet doesn’t include, and the taper means a cooler that’s 27 inches wide at the base can still bind at the lid. Our rule of thumb of 26 × 17 × 13 inches leaves the room you actually need.
What changed on the Juniper (2025–2026)
The refreshed Model Y reworked the rear cargo area, and the sub-trunk well is a slightly different shape than the original car’s. The safest move on a Juniper is to measure your own well before buying, or to use a cooler designed for it, which is exactly what Tesla now sells.
What Fits: Real Options
Tesla’s Dual-Zone Fridge (built for the sub-trunk)
Tesla’s own compressor fridge is shaped to sit in the 2025+ Model Y sub-trunk with the floor closing over it, runs off the car’s 12V outlet, and has two zones so you can keep milk cold and popsicles frozen on the same trip. No ice, no melt water in the carpet, and the cargo floor stays usable. It’s the most expensive option and it only makes sense if you road-trip regularly, but for a family that does, it’s the cleanest answer to this question.
Tesla’s Model Y Cooler (for the frunk)
If you’d rather keep the sub-trunk for luggage, Tesla also sells a 42-quart insulated cooler sized for the Model Y frunk (about 29.8 × 17.4 × 11.5 inches). It’s a plain cooler, not a fridge, so it needs ice, but it uses space that’s otherwise awkward for a family and keeps drinks reachable at every charging stop. Tesla lists it as compatible with 2020–early 2025 cars and the 2025+ Premium and Performance trims.
Alpicool C20: a compact 12V fridge that fits under the floor
If Tesla’s fridge is more than you want to spend, the Alpicool C20 is the budget version of the same idea. It’s a 21-quart compressor fridge/freezer measuring about 22.4 × 12.6 × 12.6 inches, which is comfortably inside the sub-trunk envelope on the 2020–2024 car and worth measuring against on a Juniper. It runs off the 12V outlet, has a low-voltage cutoff so it can’t drain the car, and holds roughly 25 cans or a couple of days of kid food. The trade-off versus Tesla’s unit: one zone instead of two, and it’s a generic box rather than a shape moulded to the well, so it can shift on hard corners unless you wedge it.
Check the current price on Amazon →
An ordinary cooler that fits under the floor
You don’t need a Tesla-branded anything. Owners of the 2020–2024 car report that a basic 48-quart hard cooler like the Igloo Laguna 48 drops into the well with the floor panel closing over it with room to spare (it’s 25.7 × 14.1 × 14.25 inches, so the well is a little deeper than our conservative rule of thumb), and most 40- to 50-quart soft coolers fit even more easily because they squish. Two checks before you buy: the cooler’s overall height including the lid must clear about 13 inches, and the lid must open enough to be useful once it’s down in the well, or you’ll be lifting it out every time.
RTIC 32 QT Ultra-Light Cooler
Owner-confirmed sub-trunk fit on the 2020–2024 Model Y; measure first on a Juniper
If you want a plain cooler that actually keeps things frozen, this is the upgrade over the cheap Igloo. It measures 23 × 14.5 × 14.5 inches, weighs about 13 pounds, and has 2.5 inches of foam insulation. An owner on Tesla Motors Club swapped his Igloo Laguna for one after ice packs kept thawing on grocery runs in Texas heat; with the RTIC the packs came home still frozen, and the sub-trunk floor still closes fully. Smaller capacity than the Igloo (32 vs 48 quarts) but far better at the actual job.
What doesn’t fit
Rotomolded coolers in the 45-quart class (the YETI Tundra 45 style) are typically 15 inches or taller and won’t go under the floor. They ride on top of the cargo floor instead, which works, but they eat the space you’d use for a stroller.
Sub-Trunk vs Frunk vs Cargo Floor: Where Should the Cooler Go?
- Sub-trunk: best for a fridge or a cooler you don’t need to open often. Out of the way, keeps the floor flat for luggage.
- Frunk: best for drinks and snacks you’ll grab at stops. Kids can’t reach it while driving, which is either a feature or a problem.
- Cargo floor: only option for big rotomolded coolers. Strap it down so it doesn’t slide into the seat backs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a 12V fridge drain the Tesla battery?
A compressor fridge draws a small amount continuously, and the Model Y’s 12V outlet stays on while you’re driving. Parked overnight, you’d want Camp Mode or Keep Climate On so the outlet stays powered; expect a few percent of range per night. Our Camp Mode guide covers the overnight math.
Does the Model Y L have the same sub-trunk?
The three-row Model Y L has a different rear layout, and its sub-trunk is smaller because the third row folds into that area. Measure before buying anything for it.
Can I use the sub-trunk as a cooler by itself?
Some owners drop a bag of ice straight into a lined sub-trunk. It works for a day at the beach, but melt water finds its way under the liner and the carpet takes a long time to dry. A cheap cooler inside the well is the better version of the same idea.
Related Guides
Planning the rest of the trip? See our Model Y road trip essentials, the trunk and frunk organizers that keep the cooler from sliding, and our take on what to do about the missing spare tire before a long drive.
