Tesla has clandestinely downgraded its performance brakes on the Model Y Performance and even put a cover to hide the change in a deceptive move.
When going from a Model Y Long Range to Model Y Performance, the biggest difference is arguably the performance brakes.
You also get faster acceleration and higher top speed, but those are basically software unlocked since the powertrain in the vehicles is virtually the same.
There are also bigger wheels, but that’s a positive or negative, depending on how you look at it.
The bigger Brembo brakes are arguably the most significant upgrade for the money to move up to the top-performance version.
However, we now learn that Tesla has downgraded the brakes and has done it in a very sneaky and deceiving way.
ZEV Centric, a company building accessories for Tesla vehicles, spotted and exposed the change.
The company was working on some customers’ Model Ys and some of their own Model Y vehicles and discovered the downgrade:
We already have a 2020 MYLR and a 2022 MYP that belong to other members of the company and now have added a company owned 2023 MYP to further develop. We brought all 3 into the office to do some comparisons and a quick tear down. It was at this time that we opted to snap some photos, shoot some video, take some measurements, and reveal what is hiding behind the rear covers. Little did we know that not many people were aware of this downgrade and Tesla still markets it as a performance upgrade on their website.
The Performance upgrade on the Model Y brings a rear Brembo caliper and a 2mm thicker rotor with additional venting features.
The company spotted this around September when Tesla started to replace that Brembo caliper (right) with a new Mando brake (left):
Top comment by Vin
People wanting to see compared performance between the mando and the brembo are missing the point entirely.
Tesla lists performance brakes as an upgrade on the performance model compared to the long range. Model Y performance and model Y long range come with identical front brembo brakes (lr painted silver and p painted red), they always have and they still do.
Prior to August 2022, model Y performance came with rear brembo brakes, model y long range had smaller mando. After August 2022, both model Y performance and model Y long range have the same mando in the back.
The language on the website has not changed, it still lists a performance brake upgrade for the performance model, despite all models after August 2022 having the same brakes front and rear. The only difference is the cosmetic red paint. Tesla now needs to clarify that performance brakes means red paint, or better yet, remove the performance framing.
The company now says that the rotor is 2mm thinner with the downgrade.
Here’s also a comparison of the brake pads on both calipers, which clearly shows the Brembo to be more significant in size:
ZEV Centric, who are brake experts, believes this is a significant downgrade and believes Tesla should provide them with the Brembo brakes since the change was not indicated on Tesla’s Model Y configurator.
Tesla has been known to implement cost-cutting efforts by removing features over the last few years, such as removing passenger lumbar support controls and ultrasonic sensors.
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