After spy shots and an early leak, the revamped Tesla Model 3 has been revealed!
If you’re browsing the Tesla configurator sites over in Europe, you’ll know about a surprising change — the revamped Model 3 is now available for order. It’s a welcome surprise if you’ve been awaiting the fresh version of Tesla’s most popular car, and we’re talking about a substantial overhaul here. New exterior styling, new interior features, better range (or, at least, range claims)…there’s a lot to cover here.
First up, let’s take a look at the configurator site over in Germany. Project Highland, as it’s colloquially known, transformed the existing Model 3 with a sleeker front end, reflecting that early model we saw under cover back in April. If you weren’t a particularly big fan of the outgoing 3 and current Y’s front clip, you definitely won’t have long to wait now to get the new and improved version. Around back, the changes aren’t quite so dramatic, though you do also get a slimmer taillight design integrated into the rear deck, with Tesla script across the trunk in place of the “T” badge that still adorns the frunk.
Before getting into the interior changes, though, let’s talk about what are more important items on your mind: Range, availability and price.
Fortunately, we can infer some of that information from what’s available on the European sites. According to what’s posted on the German page, for example, the 2024 Tesla Model 3 boasts up to 629 kilometers on a charge, or 390 miles. As you’d expect, that’s for the Long Range model, though that is using the European WLTP standard. EPA figures skew lower than that, meaning we could see something around a 10% range increase over the 333-mile range the outgoing Long Range model claims. So, expect something like 300 miles for the Standard Range Model 3, and 360-375 miles for the Long Range when it arrives over here.
The higher range mainly comes down to aerodynamics, thanks to the lower front end. Tesla notes a .219 drag coefficient, down from .225 (or rounded up to 0.23, if you want to be pessimistic).
Speaking of an arrival date, the German configurator also shows October to November 2023, and that seems to track across left-hand drive markets over in Europe. The UK has not yet gotten a page update, nor do we have any concrete information about when the 2024 Tesla Model 3 Highland will ship out to North American buyers.
German pricing for the revamped Tesla Model 3 lands between 43,970 euros ($47,700) and 52,970 euros (~$57,475). Prices vary by market so this isn’t a great direct comparison to what we’ll see in the US. However, the base model does get about 1,000 euros more expensive — more or less what you’d expect when a refresh lands. On that basis, we may see rear-wheel drive Model 3 Standard Range prices increase to about $42,000-$44,000 and Long Range prices hover around $50,000-$52,000. Again, that’s just an educated guess assuming prices will increase by about $2,000, but Tesla could prove me completely wrong there. We’ll have to wait and see.
Unlike some other markets, Tesla also may account for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit as well as state incentives in its final pricing.
Looking inside the 2024 Tesla Model 3
At first glance, the revamped Model 3 looks pretty similar to the car we already know. There are quite a few subtle, yet significant changes worth noting, though. The steering wheel gets a fresh design, for a start, while rear passengers get an 8-inch touchscreen of their very own (shown in the website promotional images snapped above). Tesla also deleted the gear selector and turn signal stalks from the steering column. Now, the driver controls the gear selection through the touchscreen, while buttons for the turn signals are now part of the left-side steering wheel controls.
Front passengers in the 2024 Tesla Model 3 get ventilated seats, which tie into the car’s preconditioning through the Tesla app. Rear passengers get new, comfier perforated seats, though they do not get ventilated seats of their own — but at least they have their own climate controls, so you can still chalk the refresh up as a win there. Tesla also upgraded the audio system to 17 speakers and improved Bluetooth microphone performance as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to smartphone keys and in-house routers for over-the-air updates.
The new Model 3 also gets customizable interior ambient lighting, shown beneath the windshield on the dashboard and along the top of the doors. Thanks to the aerodynamic tweaks and interior material changes, the car’s cabin should also be quieter than the old model. Finally, another nice touch comes with the trunk space, which is up ever so slightly to 21 cubic feet.
What do you think?
What are your thoughts on the revamped 2024 Tesla Model 3? Are these changes enough to pique your interest? So far, Tesla did not announce or include a Performance version on its European configurator pages, so there may still be updates to come in the near future. For now, though, keep an eye out on Tesla’s retail site for changes here in the US.
