Overall, the IIHS awarded the Model 3 top marks and even named it a Top Safety Pick+. This is largely due to the car’s low mounted battery pack (beneath the floor), allowing it to carry its weight much lower to the ground than conventional vehicles. According to the NHTSA, the Model 3 only has a 6.6% chance of a rollover in a severe crash. In the event that something were to strike the glass, it would react the same way most windshields do: without shattering. The glass panels are a two-layer laminate of hardened glass, held together with thermoplastic. Rollovers aren’t much of a concern either. In fact, the Model 3 is able to withstand in excess of 20,000lbs of force on its roof- that’s equal to more than a stack of five Model 3s! In a test by the IIHS, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Model 3 their highest marks for roof safety, with the Tesla having the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any electric vehicle ever tested. So while the roof in the Model 3 is mostly glass, that central bar has an invaluable job when it comes to safety. One section of the vehicle that utilizes this is the steel bar that spans the width of the car behind the front seats. Tesla uses strategically positioned high strength steel in the Model 3’s vehicular structure. It would be an understandable assumption that, because the Tesla Model 3 lacks a conventional solid roof, it would be inherently more dangerous and lack the torsional rigidity of a vehicle with a solid roof- luckily this isn’t the case.
#Who makes tesla model 3 roof rack full#
There was no official reason given from Tesla for this switch from partial to full glass some buyers assumed that it may have to do with machine retooling costs but most were just happy to get in on the action. These base models, which had originally been slated to have only a partially glass roof (above the rear passengers) now would be handed over to their new owners with the tinted all-glass roof as standard, at no extra cost. However after the pricier premium models were delivered (with glass roofs), Tesla got to work on the standard ($35,000+) versions. It was originally believed that this glass roof would be a costly option but would be a standard feature on premium versions. One popular report was that of a full glass roof. This gull-winged luxury SUV features all-wheel drive and a stunning seamless glass windshield that flows from behind the front seats down to the dash.Īhead of the Model 3’s release in mid-2017, there was a flurry of rumors surrounding this new addition to Tesla’s lineup. Following those came the Model X: Tesla’s first foray into the SUV segment. Tesla had made a name for itself starting with the Tesla Roadster, the small but mighty Lotus lookalike, and then went even further with the groundbreaking Model S. 3 Tesla Sunroof Maintenance and Common Problems.