Tesla Model Y: €50,000 and a cheap sunshade from China

Paying €50,000 for a Tesla and covering the roof with a cheap Chinese sunshade

The glass roof of the Tesla Model Y has become the hottest talking point in the debate about this electric car. Not because of its design, but because in summer it turns the cabin into a sauna, forcing some owners to improvise a sunshade bought at a local hardware store and stuck on with double-sided tape. The owner who started the discussion spares no details: from May to September, the glass roof of his Long Range Model Y is a serious comfort problem. And the car comes with no sunshade, no blind, no gadget you could call premium. That's Elon's finest work.

A panoramic roof with no sunshade

The Long Range Model Y comes with a panoramic glass roof as standard. The idea, according to those who defend the design, is to recover cabin space lost to the battery under the floor. The problem appears when the sun beats down: the glass doesn't filter enough heat and the cabin overheats. An official solution exists, but it isn't included. You have to buy it separately. And the owner raising the issue sums it up dryly: if you have €50,000 for the car, you have money for the official sunshade.

It's the homemade alternative that outrages people. A cheap sunshade from China, hardware-store double-sided tape, and a prayer that it won't leave residue when removed. The warning is specific: cheap adhesive tape turns into a mess when you peel it off, especially at the temperatures the glass reaches in summer. The joke about the budget sunshade captures the frustration: a high-end car with a flea-market emergency fix.

Range and heat: two open fronts

The thread doesn't stop at the roof. The conversation drifts toward the real-world use of an electric car on long trips. One case told in detail: a journey from France to Madrid via the Basque Country and the A-1, with several Model Ys overtaking. They pull away hard from the toll booths, settle at around 110 km/h, and on downhill stretches lift off to regenerate, dropping to 90 or less on a 120 km/h motorway. One of them, with 38 degrees outside, had the windows open to save battery. The conclusion of the story is harsh: making that alucinación with frequent stops is no life compared with a diesel or petrol car that just cruises through.

The counterargument comes quickly. Plenty of cars already travel at 110 km/h, and not exactly out of ecological conviction: with petrol at two euros a litre, in a country with average wages, showing off with estimulante ilegal is a luxury. The debate over whether the problem is the car or the price of energy remains open.

The status detector

The conversation also has a social chapter. Some argue that Tesla owners usually have a house with their own garage and a second combustion car for practical purposes, so the electric car works as a status symbol. The harshest criticism calls the car ugly and poorly placed in reliability rankings. These are opinions, not facts, but they explain why the glass roof has become a symbol: a €50,000 object that needs a hardware-store patch to keep from roasting the driver.

The official solution exists and is sold separately. The question is how many owners are willing to pay for it after shelling out €50,000. For now, the answer comes from the accessories market and double-sided tape.