Unofficial Chinese sources claim that mass production will start this September
Just like almost every other Tesla project, the facelifted Tesla Model 3, aka, project Highland is still shrouded in mystery. All we can do is keep an eye on spy shots and unofficial announcements to have at least an idea about the project and its developments.
The latest news coming from China, specifically from the local publication JRJ, claims that the car has already entered production at Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory. And since very few of us can read Mandarin, we only know about this after Twitter users and Tesla enthusiasts @liuwen_52 and @ray4tesla blasted the news all over the world.
A Threat To BYD In Its Hometown
The news announcement details are as follows; mass production starts in September, making mass deliveries possible in October. And more importantly, the car’s price is estimated at 200,000 CNY ($27,805.58 USD). This is significant because it poses a serious threat to the competitiveness of China’s own BYD electric models, namely the BYD Han and BYD Seal, priced at 209,800 CNY & 212,800 CNY respectively.
The estimated price range is truly motivating, especially for drivers who are looking to set aside a part of their budget for necessary protective gear to uphold the impeccable state of their new Tesla cars. Protection starts with investing in high-quality floor mats. And facing the impact of regular use and external factors necessitates the use of custom-made car covers and high quality dash covers.
What Should We Expect From The Facelifted Model 3?
The original JRJ news announcement also claims that the new facelifted Model 3 will run on a 66 kWh M3P battery provided by Ningde Times. The new M3P will be of a lithium manganese iron phosphate composition. It’s worth noting that the Tesla-Ningde Times battery supply contract -which started in 2021- will remain in effect until 2025.
Design-wise, the facelifted Tesla Model 3 is yet to be revealed in its final form, despite being under development since the spring of 2022. But since then, a trickle of spy shots has given us a pretty good idea about what we’re going to see on the refreshed EV. New Tesla owners should expect a redesigned face, new tail lights, an upgraded Hardware 4.0 Autopilot computer, and an overhauled interior.
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Tesla Model 3 Delivery Schedule
Reporting Tesla news is particularly hard, mainly because the company doesn’t have a media relations department. This opens the door to a flood of rumors and contradicting speculations with every new project. However, if the JRJ report turns out to be accurate, we can finally understand why the European-bound delivery estimates were previously pushed back.
As per the official Tesla schedule, it is estimated that mass deliveries will take place between the months of October and November, starting with rear-wheel drive and long-range variants. While the performance version comes last between November 2023 and January 2024.
Much to the satisfaction of British drivers, These delays are exclusive to left-hand-drive models. Deliveries of right-hand-drive cars will start this month, according to Tesla’s official website, at least.
