Tesla Model 3 update: What we know so far about the new and supposedly cheaper electric car

The Tesla Model 3, despite the arrival of its Model Y SUV sibling, is still one of the most popular EVs in the world.

Since 2017 it has risen to dominate the EV landscape, offering long range and impressive performance specs at a reasonable price. Now six years into its original incarnation though, a long awaited major update is said to be on the way.

This isn’t to say the Model 3 hasn’t received updates over time. Like other Tesla models, the 3 has received upgrades to its battery capacity, range, and even tyres during its life so far, with the most popular base rear drive variant now sporting an increased range to 491km from an original 381km when it first hit the market, courtesy of new China-sourced LFP batteries as part of its most recent major update.

Read More About Tesla Model 3

Australia's most popular electric car, the Tesla Model 3, is in line for an update next year - report Tesla Model 3 overtakes Toyota Camry as Tesla dominates 2022 electric car sales Big electric car discounts! Tesla cuts prices for its popular 2023 Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV as EV competition heats up

Other software updates which have improved everything from regenerative braking to new features in the software suite have been rolled out over-the-air.

The incoming update is thought to be more major than these past upgrades, however, including stylistic changes which are more akin to what a normal auto manufacturer would brand a ‘mid-life facelift’. What will it include? Will it be enough to keep pace with a quickly evolving EV market? Here’s everything we know so far.

When will production of the 2023 Tesla Model 3 start?

The Model 3 facelift could arrive before the end of the year.

To be specific, sources in China claim the updated Model 3 is slated to begin production from the Shanghai plant first (from where Australian cars are currently sourced) starting in quarter three of 2023. This suggests that the facelift could even arrive before the end of the year, likely for a 2024 model year.

It is unknown whether the update will roll out at the same time globally, or whether it will be rolled out in stages to the brand’s other manufacturing facilities.

What design changes will be made to the 2023 Tesla Model 3?

Most of the changes could revolve around the Model 3's central screen hardware and software.

While updates have rolled out for the Model 3 under the skin since its initial 2017 arrival, the update due before the end of this year will involve new design elements.

The changes are thought to be significant as information has leaked out of the company claiming the Model 3 update is significant enough to have its own code name “highland” but the incoming model has been spotted in the wild wearing camouflage covering its front and rear, leaving only the door panels uncovered.

It wouldn’t be unlike Tesla to also include new wheel designs for the range, as it has rolled out for previous updates to the Model S and Model X range, and the update is also said to focus on what its customers value most, like its central screen hardware and software.

Speaking of the Model S and Model X, many are speculating that the Model 3 will bring its styling more in-line with the recent upgrades to the brand’s older two cars. This could include re-vamped screens, new-look software, and even the option for a yoke steering wheel in some markets.

Will the 2023 Tesla Model 3 be more affordable?

The Model 3 is expected to get cheaper.

One of the major reasons for these changes is to reduce the build cost of the Model 3 to keep it in the fight against new and more affordable EVs from the likes of BYD and SAIC Motor, which offers the MG4 and MG ZS EV in Australia.

Tesla needs this to keep itself profitable and continue its original mission of making the Model 3 a truly mass-market affordable EV. To achieve this, there will be simplification in the build of the updated Model 3, using technologies like the so-called ‘Giga Press’ which can make large pieces of the car in one go. The battery pack is also said to be simplified, and Musk has stated in the past that the brand “Found parts that were not needed. They were put in there just in case or by mistake. We eliminated so many parts from a car which did nothing.”

The industry expects that the Model 3 will get even cheaper as these changes are ushered in, as Tesla plans a supposedly even more affordable small car to slot underneath the Model 3 in its line-up. Elon Musk has even claimed that the new car will cost roughly half what a Model 3 costs to build now.

When will we get more information about the 2023 Tesla Model 3? 

Tesla is infamous for not talking to the media about its vehicles, with many new features and announcements communicated through Musk’s Twitter feed. However, an investor day is approaching on March 1, giving the brand an opportunity to talk about upcoming changes to its range, including the Model 3 facelift and incoming small car.