The new Model Y Standard has also been really baffling with Tesla; it has a glass roof that you cannot even see through. The car has the same panoramic glass hood extending to the full length as the more expensive Model Y Premium; however, Tesla has added a cloth headliner to cover the glass hood fully on the inside. That is, the glass will still be there physically, but you will never see it.
This puzzling design decision has been established by various publications, such as Motor Trend and Car and Driver, among others, that reported the covered roof after having laid hands on the car. Tesla has literally created an invisible glass roof in the world.
Why Cover the Glass Instead of Replacing It?
From a manufacturing point of view, the decision makes little sense at first glance. The company could have just removed the glass roof and installed a conventional metal or composite panel. Rather, Tesla had to engineer a completely new interior headliner to conceal it- with additional fabric, complexity, and presumably expense.
This new design has been reported to be even more costly, rather than cheaper. A glass roof is normally more expensive than a plain metal one, and now, there is the cost of manufacturing the cloth. Why then should Tesla keep herself in trouble?
Tesla’s Official Reason: Efficiency and Cost Management
Early reports and Tesla insiders claim that the company is focused on cost, supply chain, and manufacturing efficiency.
It seems that new equipment, acquiring a supplier, and making modifications in the factory would be needed to create a metal roof version, and it would be more expensive than just using the glass roof that is already in production and taping it over.
Further, the glass panel of the Standard model does not have the reflective coating that is applied to the Premium versions. It is a glaze that aids in managing the temperature in the cabin, and it would be easy to understand that Tesla would choose to cover up that glass with an insulating coating to avoid overheating.
Inside, the glass roof appears undoubtedly inexpensive, as compared to the open, airy feeling that Tesla owners are used to. It is a drastic difference to the Model 3 Standard, which retains its clear glass roof and has the same premium look even in its cheaper versions.
This discomfort is evident in the promotional pictures of Tesla; the company has almost not revealed the roof in its official images, and the piece of fabric is only seen in one interior photograph. Critics such as YouTuber Gjeebs have criticized it as making the cabin look more obscured and less welcoming, and having no visible benefit to the user.
