Anyone who buys a Tesla Model Y in Germany will either get a vehicle from Grünheide or China, depending on the variant. A new video shows how the vehicles differ.
Products with the “Made in China” label are often said to be of poor quality – even when the opposite is the case. Or do you feel that your iPhone has flaws due to its origin? But if one and the same product is made at two completely different locations, the question must be allowed: Are there then differences in quality?
Performance against maximum range
The “RSymons RSEV” YouTube channel was not able to answer the question quite clearly, but the electric car specialist nevertheless took the trouble to show the differences between two Model Ys from different origins. In the video, a Model Y in the performance version from Grünheide competes against a vehicle from the long-range series from Shanghai.
A comparison between two identical cars is currently not possible because Tesla in Grünheide has also started to produce long-range vehicles, but these are not yet available to end customers. Private individuals only receive the more expensive performance variant from the Berlin factory.
The price for a Model Y Long Range (maximum range) is 56,990 euros, a performance vehicle is 65,490 euros. For the surcharge you get a higher top speed, larger rims, different brakes, alloy pedals and a lowered chassis. The rest should be perfectly the same.
differences in detail
As far as the build quality is concerned, which Tesla has been criticizing for years, both plants seem to do a good job. According to the conclusion in the video, the paintwork is flawless, as are the often criticized gap dimensions, which showed no abnormalities in either case.
The first real difference was found in the doors. The interior door paneling from Berlin is said to be softer. The expert reveals that there would also be changes to the sound system. Apparently, Tesla installed different amplifiers and moved tweeters in the Berlin vehicle – and thus achieved a better sound.
When it comes to the upholstery of the front seats, the Tesla from Grünheide is said to have a slightly thicker upholstery, which offers more support when cornering. Something has also changed in the back seat, but you can’t say exactly what it is. In the trunk, it was found that the material of the interior lining was also slightly different. This is also reflected in a carpet-like fabric paneling near the seat belt buckle on the back seat. Hard plastic is used here in China-Teslas, which is prone to scratches from the seat belt buckle.
When closing the tailgate, it was noticed that the Berlin cars use different gas springs, which ensure that the trunk closes more gently and quietly than the Chinese counterpart.
Berlin car favorite – but not because it is “better”.
But the expert is most pleased about the improved suspension of the Model Y from Berlin, which results from the lowered chassis. So that’s not a real difference to the vehicles from China, because the comparison is lame.
The video does not provide an answer to the question of which car is the “better” vehicle – at least as far as the comparable components are concerned. More important is the fact that Tesla appears to be doing a good job on both counts, and it doesn’t really matter where the car is from. If there are differences in equipment, you shouldn’t look too closely anyway – Tesla usually adjusts new components sooner or later in all plants.
