Tesla Debuts New Model 3 In China Ahead of US
The rumors are true: Tesla has been quietly cooking up an updated Model 3. The new model, previously referred to as the "Highland" refresh, debuted today in Shanghai. It is currently available to order for Chinese and European consumers; there's no known launch date for the US yet.
This marks the first time Tesla has launched a new model in China ahead of the US, Reuters reports, where EVs make up 30% of new car sales compared to just 7% in the US—representing a much larger market for CEO Elon Musk to capture. The company will build it at Tesla's Shanghai plant and export it to Europe, with other markets across Asia and the Middle East to follow.
Tesla's US website still shows the old version of the Model 3, but American drivers will be eager to get their hands on the refreshed version. It improves on its predecessor in a few key areas, including more range, a sleeker exterior design, and more interior tech. Not to mention, the current Model 3 in the US has been for sale since 2017 when the company had fewer competitors. It's high time the car saw a fresh coat of paint, though it remains to be seen if a potential US version would have the exact same features.
At first glance, the new Model 3 has a flatter, more aerodynamic hood, achieving the company's lowest drag coefficient yet (Cd of .219, down from .225 on the current Model 3), Electrek reports. That contributes to an increase in range, though we're seeing different numbers for the China and Europe variants.
The Chinese version of the new Model 3 enjoys an 11-12% increase in range—up to 344 miles for the base, Standard Range version. However, the European version shows a slightly lower range—319 miles for the base, Standard Range.
China and Europe have their own
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