Tesla to kick off Model Y production in Germany in March

Tesla has confirmed in an internal email that it plans to start deliveries of the Model Y Performance from Grünheide in March. Previously, a change in the configurator had only hinted at this.

The email to employees in Germany, posted on the German Tesla Drivers and Friends forum (TFF), mentions March as the expected start of deliveries for the Model Y Performance from the German Gigafactory. “The Model Performance from Berlin is now also available for order and is expected to reach us from March,” the company wrote.

Observers had already suspected this, as a change was made to the configurator in January. The delivery date for the black and white Model Y Performance is now March, for the other paint finishes it is May – previously it was only said “early 2022” for the Performance version. A specific delivery in March could also have meant an import of performance models from China, but the email confirms the probable production in Germany.

The configurator update also made some other changes for the 2022 model year, including to the Long Range model, which continues to come from China. Thanks to a new battery, the WLTP range of the Model Y LR increases from 507 to 533 kilometres. However, Tesla has only homologated the version with the less aerodynamic 20-inch rims according to WLTP. With the 19-inch wheels, the Model Y has an “estimated” range of 565 kilometres – but this is not an official WLTP value, which is why the 537 kilometres are mentioned in the configurator. The Model Y Performance with the new battery is listed as having a range of up to 514 kilometres, previously the configurator had listed 480 kilometres.

The higher range thanks to “an improved energy density of the battery” is also confirmed in the Tesla email. The cells probably still come from LGES, but the new battery is internally called “5L”, the predecessor was called “5C”. The usable battery capacity will reportedly increase from around 77 to 79 kWh.

From a technical point of view, other changes for the 2022 model year include a 15-volt lithium-ion battery to replace the current 12-volt battery. In addition, according to the Tesla email, a “faster processor for improved operation” is installed. This is likely to be the AMD Ryzen known from the Model S Refresh instead of an Intel processor. Since some Model Y Performance cars in China have already been delivered with this processor, this step was expected.

Interesting for passengers and drivers: From now on, double-glazed windows will also be installed on the rear doors in the Model Y to improve acoustics. The now standard parcel shelf should also contribute to this, in order to muffle noises from the luggage compartment. There is also an improved music system and heated windscreen wiper blades.

All the changes mentioned, from the battery to the windscreen wipers, also apply to the Model 3 with immediate effect, and the range here increases to up to 626 kilometres “estimated” range with the 18-inch wheels and 602 kilometres according to WLTP with the 19-inch wheels. One exception: the Model 3 still only has double-glazed windows in the front doors.

Giga Texas also to starts by March – but with 4680 cells

Grünheide is not the only place where deliveries are due to start in the first quarter. Electrek reported, based on insider information, that Tesla wants to deliver the first Model Y from the new factory in Texas before the end of the first quarter, in other words, by March. It remains to be seen whether conventional battery packs with 2170 cells or the structural battery packs with 4680 cells will be installed here, as they were initially in Grünheide. The latter is considered likely. There may be confirmation of this on Thursday night when Tesla presents its financial figures for 2021.

Since both the Model Y production in Texas and the production of the 4680 cells are several months behind schedule, another report of the past weeks is less surprising: according to information from Reuters, Tesla is postponing the start of production for the Cybertruck until the end of the first quarter of 2023. The reason for this is not only the shortage of 4680 batteries. Tesla wants to revise the Cybertruck in view of the increased competition in the electric pickup truck segment.