According to a report published by the German press, Tesla has just started manufacturing the rear-wheel drive version of the Model Y at Giga Berlin. Currently, this model (officially known as Model Y RWD) is imported from China, although it was only a matter of time before it began to be assembled in Europe as well.
Apparently the German model it will not be exactly the same as the chinese oneWell, according to unofficial sources, the first would be equipped with BYD-sourced Blade batteries. Although the LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry used is the same in both, the Asian Model Y cells are supplied by CATL and have a different format.
Rumors of a possible collaboration between Tesla and BYD, the two largest manufacturers of electric cars in the worldThey go back to the middle of last year. Elon Musk, head of the Californian firm, recently confirmed that relations between the two companies are “positive”, without giving more details about it.
The Giga Berlin Model Y RWD would also feature other novelties, including some structural batteries, a solution that on paper should allow you to reduce your weight. In addition, the front and rear frames would be made from large castings.
The European Tesla Model Y RWD will homologate about 440 kilometers of autonomy
In August 2022, Tesla registered in Europe a new variant of the Model Y equipped with a 55 kWh battery, with which it certified a range of 440km WLTP. This unprecedented version could well correspond to the model that has just entered production at Giga Berlin, since its range is close to that of the Chinese RWD (455 km WLTP).
So far, Tesla has only manufactured the Model Y Long Range AWD and Performance at its German facilities, which use NCM (nickel, cobalt, manganese) batteries in cylindrical 2170 format. By contrast, Blade batteries are made up of a matrix of elongated singular cells (from 0.6 to 2.5 meters long).
This may have forced Tesla to redesign the center frame to adapt it to the new format, which would explain the delay in launching this version. In the absence of confirmation, there is a high probability that the local Model Y RWD will be somewhat more affordable than the imported one, which would further boost its sales in Europe (remember that last March it became the best-selling car of the old continent).
Source | InsideEVs
