Tesla secretly downgrades Model Y Performance brakes

An American electric vehicle mechanic workshop has discovered Tesla has ditched the Brembo rear brakes on the Model Y Performance in favour of smaller Mando units.

ZEV Centric first noticed the change in September 2022 with the Mando rear rotor now 2 millimetres thinner compared to the previous Brembos (20mm versus 22mm respectively) and lacks a vent.

The former also has a smaller brake pad on both callipers.

As before, the front callipers and rotors on the Model Y Performance are identical to the regular base rear-wheel-drive model, albeit painted in red.

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Tesla is known to make running changes without adhering to traditional model-years, so we’re unsure if these performance brake changes will carry here when the Model Y Performance delivers later this year.

We source the electric SUV from the Shanghai factory, whereas Americans get it from their domestic Fremont and Texas plants.

The Tesla Model Y line-up recently received a price cut as demand slows due to an uncertain economy, lower production costs, and supply chains recovering.

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The flagship Performance now costs from $98,435 before on-road costs (down $1800) and gains; a hotted-up dual-motor powertrain able to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds, a larger battery for up to 514 kilometres of claimed driving range, 21-inch Überturbine wheels, lowered suspension, a carbon fibre spoiler lip, and alloy pedals.

Since October, the American EV company started removing the ultrasonic sonar sensors to go all-in on its camera-based ‘Tesla Vision’ safety assistance system.

However, features such as parking distance sensors, automatic parking and smart summon have been temporarily disabled, but will be reintroduced with an over-the-air software update later on.