If you’ve ever wondered why Teslas don’t have an opening sunroof, Tesla’s answer is simple: owners stopped using them. In the latest episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy and chief designer Franz von Holzhausen explained the decision while showing Leno the new Model Y L.
Leno brought it up himself, pointing out that his first Model S had a big opening sunroof.
Owners Stopped Using It
According to Tesla, the decision came down to data. Owners tended to use the sunroof “when they maybe first get the car, but then not really.”
Leno compared it to a hot tub, saying, “It’s like a hot tub afterwards.” In other words, you use it every day for the first week, then forget it’s there.
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The sunroof also came with downsides. Tesla described it as “a really complicated part that, you know, we see in service quite a bit.” It’s heavy, it takes a lot of parts to build, and if people aren’t using it, it isn’t worth the trouble.
Better Glass Instead
Instead of a sunroof, Tesla put that effort into its fixed glass roofs. Tesla said it improved the layers laminated into the glass to reflect heat and sunlight, and to block UVA and UVB rays “like the best sunscreen on the planet.” Tesla also added a reflective silver coating to the roof and built antennas into the glass, so there’s no antenna sticking out on top.
The Model Y L shows how far that work has come. Tesla says its roof glass reflects up to eight times more solar energy and lets up to 30% less solar heat into the cabin compared to 2024 and earlier Model Y vehicles. Along with HVAC upgrades, that helps the Model Y L gain about seven miles of real-world range in hot weather.
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Tesla’s glass roofs have been improving for a while. In 2023, Tesla gave the Model S a new high-visibility glass roof that weighed less and let in five times more light, while keeping the same heat and UV protection. The lighter roof also lowered the car’s center of gravity.
What’s Next for Tesla’s Glass Roof
Tesla’s future roofs could do even more. Earlier this year, Tesla was granted a patent for a perforated glass roof that’s built into the HVAC system. It uses two layers of glass with thousands of tiny holes in the inner layer, letting air from the climate system flow out through the roof while also absorbing road and wind noise.
Opening sunroofs probably aren’t coming back to Tesla’s lineup. Instead, Tesla’s glass roofs will likely keep getting better at blocking heat and noise.
If you’re waiting on a Cybertruck, there’s a chance you’ll get a refund instead of a truck. Elon Musk said on X that Tesla will “try to make as many as possible before shutting down the line in about 8 months, but will have to return deposits for a lot of people.”
According to Musk, “the Cybertruck order rate far exceeds our production rate.”
A Backlog Tesla Can’t Clear
Tesla announced last week that it will end Cybertruck production around mid-2027 to make room for more Cybercab production at Giga Texas. Since then, Musk has said Tesla will add an extra Cybertruck shift to work through as many orders as it can before the line is torn down around June or July.
Even with that extra shift, Tesla won’t be able to build them all. Musk has also said the Cybertruck is still profitable, and that Tesla is ending it because the space and engineering effort are worth more for the Cybercab.
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Dual Motor AWD Orders Are Most at Risk
Tesla hasn’t said which orders will be refunded, but we expect the entry-level Dual Motor AWD to be hit hardest. Tesla launched the Dual Motor AWD at $59,990 in February, keeping features like the bed outlets and powered tonneau cover while dropping air suspension and some interior extras.
It wasn’t the first Cybertruck near that price. The Long Range RWD trim launched in spring 2025 for $62,490 after the federal tax credit, but it dropped air suspension, leather seats, the rear screen, and the bed outlets. Tesla discontinued it later that year. By comparison, the Dual Motor AWD was a much better deal at the same price, likely bringing in many orders.
Tesla raised the Dual Motor AWD’s price shortly after launch, and it recently paused new orders for the trim altogether. As the cheapest and least profitable Cybertruck, it likely has more orders waiting than the $100,000+ Cyberbeast, which could make it the first to be cut if Tesla prioritizes its more expensive trims.
Tesla hasn’t shared how it will decide which orders get filled, so it’s unclear whether it will go by order date or trim. If you have an order in, keep an eye on your Tesla account over the next few months for updates on your delivery or a refund.
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