A test program in Europe has revealed a slew of new features and upgrades coming to the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, suggesting upgrades first seen in Shanghai are making their way to Europe.
Tesla has set itself apart from other carmakers in its decision not to release upgrades after every turn around the sun, instead simply rolling out updates via software so that owners of older vehicles can enjoy the same upgrades.
But as technology advances, so too do hardware requirements.
In recent years we’ve seen Tesla implement new features, as well as tweaked designs, to its electric cars. The Model S and Model X refresh with updated styling, yoke steering wheel and tri-motor Plaid option being a good example.
Another recent example is the inclusion of an AMD Ryzen gaming chip in the Shanghai-made Model Y, which reportedly gives the car’s interface much better responsiveness.
Now, it appears like Tesla is planning to do the same for both the Model 3 and Model Y in Germany.
In a German forum (first shared by Electrek), a number of documents were shared that are reportedly part of an approval process for new (or modified) vehicles in the European Union.
According to the documents which are accompanied by a VIN chart for Model 3 and Model Y specifications (below), it would appear that the Model 3 and Model Y that will be made in Germany will also sport some of the changes seen recently in Shanghai.
These include a lithium-ion auxiliary battery, the above-mentioned gaming chip, and laminated glass for the rear doors. Other parts changes appear to be to work with the auxiliary batter, such as the windshield washer pump, or in order to localise parts – such as the performance brake pads.
Another interesting addition is the “Superhorn” – a combined horn, alarm and speaker for an acoustic vehicle alert system (AVAS). Whether this will make it to the Australia edition is not clear, as there are no laws in place here that require it.
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.