Has Tesla Lost Its Mind with the Standard Model Y Roof?
This page is translated from the original post "Tesla a-t-il perdu la tête avec le toit du Model Y Standard ?" in French.
- 13/10/2025 18:42
The new Model Y Standard retains a glass roof… but passengers will never see the clouds.
Tesla has once again surprised its fans with the launch of the more affordable Model Y Standard. The electric SUV loses its most spectacular feature: the panoramic glass roof. But beware, Tesla hasn’t really removed it. How is that possible, you ask? Well, the roof remains glass… but invisible from the inside. Passengers will no longer see the sky because the glass surface is covered with a… headliner that hides the sky. From Raymond Devos to Stéphane de Groodt, there’s plenty of material to entertain several generations of comedians and wordplay enthusiasts!
More seriously, Lars Moravy, Tesla’s Vice President, explained the logic behind this decision. According to him, the choice to keep the glass, even covered, is based on three factors: cost, supply chain, and manufacturing efficiency. “It was simpler to keep a glass roof for production than to revert to a traditional roof,” he clarified. In other words, Tesla is optimizing its production while offering a more affordable SUV.
There is glass and then there is glass
But that’s not all. Moravy emphasizes that not all glass is created equal. The Premium and Performance versions of the Model Y use laminated glass with a reflective silver coating that reduces heat transfer, ensuring thermal comfort and UV protection. The glass in the Model Y Standard is a simple multi-layered laminated glass that does not have these features. Even without the interior sky, it will never produce the spectacular effect of the panoramic roof of the high-end models. Worse, it could turn the cabin into a true oven due to UV filtering issues.
The decision to cover the glass also aims to reduce noise inside the cabin, as the Standard foregoes many expensive soundproofing materials. The covered roof thus improves acoustic comfort while maintaining the structure and strength offered by glass.
By combining production savings, comfort, and customer feedback, Tesla has struck a clever compromise. Admittedly, passengers of the Model Y Standard will no longer gaze at the sky, but the car remains modern, lightweight, and durable.
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Tesla will soon see whether this strategy of making its electric vehicles more accessible without sacrificing quality or performance is successful. As for this glass roof that remains invisible, it symbolizes the brand’s pragmatic approach to production realities and customer expectations. A virtue that has contributed to Tesla’s success.
ALSO READ: Tesla Model Y Standard sold in France for 39,990 euros
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