German-Made Tesla Model Y Compared To China-Made Model Y

Is it easy to spot the differences? Which is better?

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12:20

Steven Loveday

By: Steven Loveday

Apr 4, 2022 at 9:22am ET

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Is the new Tesla Model Y from the brand's new German factory any different from those made in China? If you live in Europe, you'll likely be seeing both made-in-Germany Model Y crossovers, as well as those built in Shanghai.

Now that Tesla is opening new factories, people may be wondering about the quality of the cars from the newly opened and upcoming plants. One would think it would be difficult to even tell the difference between Tesla Model Y SUVs built at different factories. However, that may not be the case if you know what to look for. Moreover, it seems it's not as much about the factory as it is about the timing of the builds.

Tesla just finally started producing Model Y crossovers at its brand-new state-of-the-art production facility near Berlin, Germany. To be clear, the factory had been ready to open for some time, and it was already building many pre-production Model Y vehicles. However, multiple delays pushed back the factory's official opening, in addition to government approval to produce and deliver the electric crossover to customers.

As of March 22, 2022, when Tesla held its official delivery party at Giga Berlin, the electric car brand has been ramping up production and deliveries for Germany and other parts of Europe. Prior to the recent happenings, Model Y vehicles in Europe were being imported from China, as they were built at Tesla's Giga Shanghai.

YouTube channel Nico PQ took delivery of a brand-new Tesla Model Y Performance that was the 22nd customer car produced at Giga Berlin, which was personally delivered and signed by CEO Elon Musk. The channel just happens to also own a Model Y Long Range that came out of China.

Nico explains that some of the changes on the newer Performance model are not just because it was built in Germany. He says Tesla has made similar changes to newly produced Performance models in China, too. However, he only has the Long Range variant from China for comparison.

As you'll see, the Model Y Performance features heated windshield wipers and an updated nozzle for windshield washer fluid. Both cars are reportedly in top-notch condition as far as build quality is concerned. However, Nico says there was an initial issue with the German-made Model Ys driver's side door fitment, which was adjusted. It would be even more interesting to see both of these Model Y SUVs compared to some built at Tesla's Fremont factory.

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Nico takes us on a detailed tour, complete with a measuring tape. His tour reveals that the two electric crossover are exceedingly similar in almost every way. Inside, the newer Model Y has bigger camera lenses, softer door panel materials, a new cargo area cover, and the new AMD Ryzen processor. However, it seems most of these changes will also be found in upcoming Model Y Performance crossovers built in China.

See More Tesla Model Y Coverage:

Tesla Transporting Model Y Crossovers Out Of Giga Berlin For Delivery

US: Want An Entry-Level Tesla Model Y? It Will Be Ready In 2023

As always, check out the video for many more details. Then, let us know what you think of these Model Y SUVs. How do they compare to those built in the States?

Source: Nico PQ - cars & rebuilds (YouTube)

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