After Tesla launched the Model 3+ several months ago, deliveries officially began earlier this month. This ended months of speculation on when the automaker would finally hand over the newly-improved Model 3 to customers.

Deliveries had already started in other countries as early as mid-October. Countries in Europe and the Middle East have already seen several Highland Model 3 units make their way to customers. The Netherlands is now the next country to mark deliveries for the new Model 3.

Just picked up my Tesla Model 3 Highland!!!

One of the first in the Netherlands #Tesla #Model3 #Highland pic.twitter.com/67qnkB2R9p

— Fabian Ebert (@Fabian10O) October 26, 2023

Tesla updated several exterior and interior designs and features for the new Model 3, ramping up production late last month at Gigafactory Shanghai, where the car is currently produced.

The first delivery in Europe occurred in Germany, but Tesla has been spreading the new Model 3 around to various countries on the continent, including France and Poland.

However, a tsunami of Model 3 Highland deliveries is overtaking the European market as Tesla has been exporting the vehicles from China to Europe.

A Tesla Model 3 Highland tsunami is starting in European markets

The new Model 3 arrived just in time for Q4, as Tesla is working toward its lofty goal of reaching 1.8 million vehicle deliveries for 2023. With deliveries beginning in the Eastern Hemisphere already, the Model 3 Highland is sure to help bring Tesla closer to its goal for the year.

The Netherlands was one of the last countries where we saw Model 3 Highland testing going on before the vehicle was launched. A Teslarati reader sent us photographs of a Model 3 Highland driving on highways near local Tesla Service Centers and Showrooms in the Netherlands.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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The Parts Catalog for the vehicle certainly appears to suggest that the Plaid Powertrain could be coming to the all-electric sedan, even though CEO Elon Musk has said in the past that it does not necessarily make sense for the Model 3.

The Plaid Powertrain was first installed on the Model S and Model X, Tesla’s flagship luxury offerings, in 2021 as the automaker brought out its fastest vehicles to date.

The Plaid Powertrain enabled a 1.99-second 0-60 MPH acceleration rate for the Model S, white-knuckle speed that routinely was noted as the fastest production car on Earth.

The Model X comes in slightly slower, if that is the correct word, with 2.3 seconds for the same standstill to 60 MPH metric.

The Model S and Model X are Tesla’s premium offerings and account for less than 5 percent of the company’s production and delivery figures during any given quarter.

However, people will pay for speed, but not everyone. Some cannot justify the $89,990 price tag for the Plaid versions of the all-electric vehicles, which also boast top speeds of 200 MPH for the Model S and 149 for the Model X.

Enter the potential of a Model 3 Plaid, which would enable lightning-fast speed and an affordable price tag, giving more consumers access to one of the fastest and quickest vehicles on the planet.

New Tesla Roadster gets a rare update from Chief Designer: “Plaid is a great learning platform”

The Kilowatts, a notable EV content creation team, first noticed a Plaid Badge on the image of a Tesla Model 3 rear bumper, something that has been void of the unmistakable design from the automaker since it was first released in 2021.

Tesla’s Parts Catalog confirms Tesla is working on a Performance version of the new Model 3, potentially PLAID!! pic.twitter.com/N7qxt0LUqM

— The Kilowatts (@klwtts) October 19, 2023

Make no mistake, Musk once completely sold off any notion that Tesla would possibly develop such a vehicle. “No,” was his simple and straightforward answer when he was asked by some of his most loyal supporters if the car made sense. But we’ll be frank: it wouldn’t be the first time Musk said one thing and then did another in terms of a Tesla project.

Routinely, Musk has been against advertising, opting to put the money that would be used for a PR budget into vehicle development instead. Last night, Musk confirmed Tesla is advertising. I think there is something to be gained on the advertising front,” he said.

Last quarter, Tesla also temporarily allowed the transfer of Full Self-Driving licensing from one vehicle to another, which was always shot down in the past by customers who did not want to pay for the suite more than once.

For what it’s worth, a Plaid Model 3 might be just what the doctor ordered for Tesla. Although the narrative of slowing demand is often pushed regarding Tesla, the company continues to increase delivery and production volumes apart from the most recent quarter, which was affected by production line upgrades and factory shutdowns.

A Model 3 Plaid would likely increase interest in the company’s mass-market sedan, which is in need of a revamp in the U.S. market.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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The update was posted by the electric vehicle maker on its official Weibo account. As per Tesla China, two versions of the upgraded Model 3 will be offered in the country: a Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) version that starts at RMB 259,900 ($35,540), and a Long Range Dual Motor All Wheel Drive (AWD) variant that starts at RMB 295,900 ($40,400). 

The prices of the upgraded Model 3 today are the same as the vehicle’s pre-sale prices that were announced at the start of September. The price of the Model 3 RWD is roughly 12% higher than the vehicle’s previous iteration. Those who order the upgraded Model 3 are expected to get their vehicles in 6-9 weeks, as per Tesla China’s order page for the all-electric sedan. 

The upgraded Model 3 features a number of improvements from its predecessor. It features a more aggressive and sporty exterior and a completely revamped interior with elements that are inspired by the flagship Tesla Model S sedan and Model X SUV. These include a stalkless driving system and a rear display for passengers. 

The upgraded Tesla Model 3 was also listed with range improvements compared to their predecessors. The new Model 3 RWD, for example, was listed with a CLTC range of 606 km, which is 50 km higher than the outgoing model’s estimated 556 km of range. The new Model 3 Long Range is also listed with a range of 713 km, 38 km more than the estimated 675 km range of the previous Model 3 Performance. 

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) recently announced the latest batch of vehicles that are exempted from the country’s vehicle purchase tax. The new Model 3 was included in the document. As per the MIIT, the two new Model 3 variants are equipped with battery packs that feature capacities of 60 kWh and 78.4 kWh, respectively. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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This could be seen in the Tesla Model 3’s order page for Great Britain, which now shows the upgraded “Highland” model. Similar to other countries where the upgraded Model 3 is available, two variants are offered for the all-electric sedan: the base Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and the midrange Dual Motor All Wheel Drive (AWD). 

Interestingly enough, the Model 3 Highland RWD is listed with a starting price of £39,990 in the UK, while the Dual Motor AWD variant starts at £49,990 before options. As noted in a Top Gear UK report, the Model 3 RWD started at £42,990 in September. This means that the upgraded all-electric sedan is not just better; it is also more affordable. 

A look at Tesla’s order page for the upgraded Model 3 in the UK shows an estimated delivery date of January to February 2024. This is true for both the Model 3 RWD and the Model 3 Dual Motor AWD. 

There’s much excitement surrounding the upgraded Tesla Model 3. The vehicle is completely revamped, with a more aggressive and sporty exterior and an interior that draws heavily from the flagship Model S and Model X. Early reviews of the upgraded Tesla Model 3 have been positive, with many praising the vehicle’s increased comfort and new features like its rear touch screen. 

With a very reasonable price in the UK, the upgraded Model 3 could become a strong seller in the country. After all, the previous generation Model 3 was already very successful, usually ranking second only to its sibling — the Tesla Model Y — in the UK’s EV rankings. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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After Tesla launched the new Model 3 last month, deliveries of the vehicle are nearing, and the first people to receive the revised version of the company’s best-selling sedan now have a more refined timeframe.

Tesla previously listed Model 3+ delivery timeframes between October and November for the base trim and between November and December for the Dual Motor configuration.

Now, Tesla has revised these time frames to between two and six weeks:

$TSLA #Highland
NEWS: With the arrival of the new Model 3 Highlands sequentially to Europe, the estimated delivery period has been changed to 2~6weeks.

– All Model 3 trims currently sold in Europe pic.twitter.com/O4KSlRGUDM

— Tsla Chan (@Tslachan) October 16, 2023

Deliveries were expected to occur in October, and there is still a chance that the first Model 3+ will make it to a customer before the end of the month.

We have reported on Gigafactory Shanghai pumping out Model 3+ units for some time, and the factory has had little to no problems ramping up the production of the new design.

Additionally, these units have been followed by various logistics trackers, who have indicated the Model 3+ units from China will arrive in Europe this month.

Several units have already touched ground in some countries. Morten Grove reported that the first Model 3+ was registered in Norway just six days ago.

Tesla brought several new improvements to the Model 3+, including a newly designed front end and several interior improvements, which aim to make the all-electric sedan updated and more premium.

Initially launched in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Tesla should be bringing the vehicle to the U.S. and North American markets early next year, as public road testing is still underway in the States.

Tesla’s Model 3 Highland spotted again in the U.S., this time covered

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla writes:

“Wrap your Model 3 or Model Y in one of our premium Clear Films, only available through Tesla. Offered in Gloss Clear, which will keep your paint’s existing gloss finish, and Satin Clear, which will change your paint’s gloss finish to matte.”

Tesla says the wraps are “self-healing, urethane-based film” and will protect your car against chips, scratches, and swirling. They are also more environmentally friendly than traditional vinyl wraps, but Tesla does not detail how.

Just as the seven Color Wraps Tesla started offering on October 10, they will be installed at the Service Centers in West Covina, California, and Carlsbad, California.

The PPF wraps will be available in two options: Clear Gloss and Clear Satin, offering either a shiny or flat option for the vehicles.

Here are a few Tesla vehicles in varying colors with the PPF installed:

PPF has several benefits for your vehicle and can improve the longevity of its paint and look, as weather and other factors can take away the natural shine and appearance of your car, making it less of a head-turner from when you bought it.

Things like the sun’s UV rays, stones on the road, acid rain, bird droppings, and other unavoidable factors can all contribute to the paint having less quality over time.

PPF protects against all of these things and can be replaced every few years, keeping your car in pristine condition from an aesthetic perspective.

Tesla lists the price as $5,000. While many people were outraged at the price of the color wraps, the price of the clear PPF varies, but Detailed Image says it can cost between $1,200 to $1,500 on the low end, and $1,800 to $2,200 on the high end.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla’s leasing program gives people the opportunity to have an EV for a slightly smaller cost than owning the vehicle outright, and the terms are variable, just as any other automaker offers.

However, the company just slashed leasing prices for the Model 3 and Model Y, its two most popular vehicles, making it as affordable as ever to lease one of the cars with a 36-month term.

Tesla decreased lease payments by as much as $100 per month on some configurations.

The lease prices are as follows:

Tesla Model 3

• Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive – $329/month, down from $419
• Model 3 Long Range – $439/month, down from $509
• Model 3 Performance – $529/month, down from $609

Tesla Model Y

• Model Y Rear Wheel Drive – $399/month, down from $499
• Model Y Long Range – $469/month, down from $549
• Model Y Performance – $539/month, down from $629

These are the prices for the 36-month leasing term with 10,000 miles a year. These prices do not include potential savings from gas and maintenance.

Tesla just recently slashed prices on the Model 3 and Model Y earlier this month, and the move ended up helping EV prices across the sector. Tesla saw a 5.5 percent decrease in pricing from August to September and a 24.7 percent decrease in September 2023 compared to the same month in 2022.

Model 3 likely to lose full $7,500 EV Tax Credit

Tesla also stated on its website that it is expecting to lose the full $7,500 tax credit on the Model 3. The automaker expects the credit to be reduced to $3,750 on December 31 “pending federal guidance.”

The move to alert customers of this change could incentivize some to buy the vehicle before the end of the year. This would help Tesla’s delivery and production figures for Q4 and 2023 as a whole, as it missed in Q3 due to line upgrades at several factories.

Tesla is still expecting to deliver 1.8 million cars this year, as it reassured investors of this after the Q3 production and delivery figures were announced earlier this month.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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“Wrap your Model 3 or Model Y in one of our premium Color Wraps, only available through Tesla,” the company wrote. “Offered in seven exclusive colors, this self-healing urethane-based film protects the paint beneath from chips, scratches, and swirling.”

“Purchase price includes cost of materials and installation. Current participating Tesla Service Centers include West Covina, CA, and Carlsbad, CA.”

Tesla is offering seven new colors with the wraps, including:

• Satin Stealth Black: $7,500
• Slip Grey: $7,500
• Glacier Blue: $8,000
• Satin Rose Gold: $8,000
• Forest Green: $8,000
• Satin Ceramic White: $8,000
• Crimson Red: $8,000

Tesla appears to be using this strategy to offer more colors to customers without having to upgrade paint shops at its U.S. factories. Tesla has only offered five colors for its vehicles for several years, and customers have been wondering when it will finally offer more options.

Tesla has a world-class paint shop in Germany at Gigafactory Berlin, but CEO Elon Musk said in 2022 that only that factory would be capable of colors like Quicksilver and Midnight Cherry Red.

Only Giga Berlin can make these colors, as paint shop was specially built to apply many fine layers of paint, giving it complexity not otherwise possible https://t.co/Htis0LfRzV

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 21, 2022

Additionally, the automaker has hinted toward bringing wraps to the upcoming Cybertruck, which is set to be released by the end of the year.

With it likely performing this in-house, it appears Tesla had plans to expand it to other vehicles, and it has done that with this specific expansion of wrapping the Model 3 and Model Y.

Tesla notes that the wrap will be applied to Tesla Model 3+ and Model Y+, which are the refreshed and newest versions of the two cars.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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The figures comprise vehicles that were sold domestically and exported to foreign territories. They were released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) over the weekend.

While Tesla China saw a decline in sales this September, the electric vehicle maker still posted strong sales for the third quarter overall. In Q3 2023, Tesla sold 222,517 China-made vehicles, up 18.16% year-over-year, as noted in a CNEV Post report. The number also accounts for 51.15% of Tesla’s global deliveries. 

For context, Tesla delivered 435,059 vehicles globally in Q3 2023, up 26.53% from a year earlier but down 6.67% from Q2. The company also produced 430,488 vehicles in the third quarter.

Tesla China has so far sold a notable number of vehicles in 2023. As per industry watchers, Tesla China has sold 699,056 Giga Shanghai-made vehicles from the beginning of January to the end of September. That’s a 44.71% year-over-year increase.

It should be noted that Tesla China’s domestic sales were slowed down in September by the absence of the Model 3 sedan. While the Model 3 has been outsold by the Model Y crossover, it still comprises a notable portion of Tesla’s overall sales in China. Tesla released started pre-sales for the new Model 3 in China, which starts at 259,900 yuan ($35,600), though consumer deliveries of the vehicle are yet to begin. 

Once domestic deliveries of the new Model 3 are included, Tesla China’s monthly results would likely see a notable improvement. Deliveries of the new Model 3 are expected to begin this fourth quarter, both in China and in territories where the vehicle is offered. Tesla is expected to adopt an aggressive push this fourth quarter, especially as the company is aiming to achieve a worldwide delivery milestone of 1.8 million cars this 2023. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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In late September, Tesla decided to add a few new features to the Model Y crossover, but these updates would only take place in the Chinese version of the vehicle.

Based on images from Tesla’s Design Studio in China, there were several new features, including the omittance of the wood panel strip that lines the dash and an ambient lighting strip that runs along the new panel.

Tesla rolls out Model Y update with ambient lights and new wheels in China

While rumors of “Project Juniper,” an updated version of the Model Y that was perhaps comparable to what Tesla did with the Model 3 “Highland,” have circulated, this is likely not the “refresh” the automaker has in mind for the crossover.

These are minor changes that help freshen up the vehicle design and can push consumers to buy a new version of the car, helping push sales upward.

The new features are now being shown in a video from China, which shows the paneling and ambient light strips:

MY UPDATE: 4 days ago, Tesla CN announced a few minor changes to MIC Model Y, including 0-100 acceleration boost, new interior materials. ambient lighting, etc.

Now we have the 1st video showing the ambient lighting in Model Y. Unlike the ambient lighting extended around all… pic.twitter.com/p7d0Vx68KE

— Ray (@ray4tesla) October 5, 2023

The ambient lighting in the Model Y is different than the Model 3+. The Model Y’s ambient lighting strip only spans from the driver’s side to the passenger’s side on the dash panel. Meanwhile, the Model 3’s ambient lighting spans throughout the entire dash and on the door panels, providing much more LED lighting than the Model Y does.

Tesla Model 3+/Highland Ambient Lighting (Credit: Tesla)

It is definitely a different look, and we could see a more expansive ambient lighting feature in the Model Y “Juniper” if Tesla ultimately decides to go ahead with a full refresh like it did with the Model 3.

We reported yesterday that it seems Tesla planned to install ambient lighting in the Model S and Model X as early as 2022, but the automaker ultimately decided against it.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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