Is the word elas the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

No

While the spelling and the fundamental meaning of "elas" (the third-person plural feminine pronoun) are identical in both dialects, there is a significant difference in typical usage regarding its grammatical function. In Brazilian Portuguese, it is very common and natural in spoken language to use "elas" as a direct object (e.g., "Eu vi elas"). In Continental Portuguese, using "elas" as a direct object is considered grammatically incorrect; instead, the clitic pronoun "as" is used (e.g., "Eu vi-as").

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

1. Elas chegaram cedo hoje. (They arrived early today.)
2. Eu vi elas no shopping. (I saw them at the mall.)
3. As meninas são muito inteligentes; elas estudam muito. (The girls are very intelligent; they study a lot.)
4. Eu chamei elas para a festa. (I called them to the party.)
5. Elas gostam de comer pizza. (They like to eat pizza.)

Continental Portuguese Examples

1. Elas chegaram cedo hoje. (They arrived early today.)
2. Eu vi-as no centro comercial. (I saw them at the shopping center.)
3. As meninas são muito inteligentes; elas estudam muito. (The girls are very intelligent; they study a lot.)
4. Eu chamei-as para a festa. (I called them to the party.)
5. Elas gostam de comer pizza. (They like to eat pizza.)