The top-selling Tesla Model 3 electric sedan is set to get some major upgrades, judging by recent comments from CEO and co-founder Elon Musk as well as other recent reports.
As The Driven reported earlier in September, Tesla boss Elon Musk said the Model Y – which is already a vastly different vehicle to the Model 3 – would be getting a radical makeover when production commences at “Giga Berlin” in Germany.
It already has an electronic tailgate (known as liftgate in the US), a super-efficient HVAC (heating and air con) heat pump system featuring an “octovalve”, and chrome delete as standard.
It now seems the Model 3 will also be getting some of these upgrades – some of which have been hinted at by Musk himself, and some via reports from unconfirmed sources in China.
We already know that Musk has implied the China-made Model 3 may be getting the same efficient heat pump as the Model Y – this was hinted at during the company’s Q2 2020 earnings call in July as noted in this article here.
A new rumour from a Chinese Tesla watcher suggests the upgrades could go even further than that.
According to “Tesla_Mania“, otherwise known as Yan Li via the Tesla referral centre, the China-made Model 3 – which it is now thought will ship to Australia – will also get chrome delete as standard, the Model Y octovalve, and an electronic tailgate.
It will also get “center console 2.0 (whatever this means)”, new headlights, tail lights, and steering wheel, says Li – suggesting that further localisation of parts has been achieved at Tesla’s third electric car factory, Giga Shanghai.
Lastly, Li also says that the upgrades will include “double layer glass” for “better noise insulation” (some of you may remember early criticisms of the “made-in-China” or MIC Model 3 was a lot of road noise).
In addition to the above upgrades, we can also share that there is a significant upgrade coming for Tesla owners who have paid for Full Self Driving (FSD).
Musk responded on Saturday to a post on Twitter that, “Tesla is now responding to traffic lights and stop signs all over the world,” saying that this is not even using a “dramatically better” planned “4D” simultaneous surround video upgrade.
And this still isn’t using the dramatically better “4D” (aka simultaneous surround video from 8 cameras) architecture
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 12, 2020
As noted by Australian Tesla vlogger “Tesla Tom”, FSD in Australia also now allows Tesla cars to “go-on-green”, and offers “right lane hog mode” (otherwise known as “Stay in Passing Lane”).
Autopilot Go-on-Green finally unlocked for Australian Tesla owners ????
PLUS
Right Lane Hog Mode ???? for Update 2020.36.10 in our Tesla Model 3 ????????
GO ON GREEN Tesla Software Update 2020.36.10 | Navigate on Autopilot https://t.co/gitbbuUPPY pic.twitter.com/k41cv6IN0c
— Tesla Tom (@_TeslaTom) September 11, 2020
But the new “4D” system flagged by Musk is not far off either. According to Musk, it will be released to initial beta users before mid-October, and by mid-December should be rolled out to all US Tesla owners.
According to Musk, it will make tracking targets across all cameras more stable.
Releasing private beta in 2 to 4 weeks, public beta (early access owners who opt in) 4 to 6 weeks after that, then all US Tesla owners mid December. Above schedule is contingent upon not encountering major unexpected setbacks.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 12, 2020
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.