An over-the-air update has been rolled out to all 2021 Tesla Model 3 owners. This update will provide the new models with a range extension. The Standard Range Plus and Long Range AWD variants will receive this update.
Tesla Model 3 2021 Version Gets Software Update; Receives Extended Range
The renowned Tesla owner/hacker @greentheonly posted the news of the update on Twitter. The software update 2020.48.12 will enable some extra range for the new owners.
2020.48.12 is rolling out that enables the extra range for Model Year 2021 model 3 cars (SR and LR-dualmotor)
— green (@greentheonly) December 18, 2020
Although this range extension seems exciting, Tesla has stated in the notes for this update that it has simply updated the range to a more accurate figure. There is no hardware unlocked, just a more accurate estimate of range from the company.
A number of owners have reported having received the update. Tesla owner @tesla_adri took delivery of his car in Germany, and noted a 14-km increase in range post the update. The range was 537 km before the update, and it got updated to 551 km.
2020.48.12.1 brings a range increase for 2021 Model 3 LR AWD. According to my registration papers I have the 77 kWh Version.
Notes say:
"Your car now shows a slightly higher range to better Display the battery capacity"@raffaeru @DriveTeslaca @28delayslater @TeslaStars pic.twitter.com/9echdbZLbD— Tesla_Adri (@tesla_adri) December 18, 2020
While the new Model 3 was supposed to come with 82-kWh battery packs, not all 2021 version owners have received that. Some owners, like the aforementioned @tesla_adri, have received Model 3s with a battery capacity of 77 kWh. But even these owners have reported a slight increase in the displayed range, which points towards an efficiency change.
A range extension is not to be confused with an update in the displayed range. What this update does is simply display the range to a more accurate figure. And this displayed range can vary from car to car, according to a number of factors. Driving style, weather conditions, the temperature of the battery, usage of fast chargers all affect the range of the vehicle. The official number that the company showcases is obtained by testing it in ideal conditions.
Our Opinion
This is not an update that will increase the capacity of your battery. It will simply display a more accurate figure on your screen. It is valid for all drivers, irrespective of whether your battery capacity is 77 kWh or 82 kWh. Tesla has just tweaked their range estimation algorithm and got a better result, that’s it.
