Tesla Model 3 has been one of the most successful cars from the California-based electric vehicle manufacturer. With a number of new cars from the same segment getting launched, Model 3 is in for some competition. While Tesla is leading the race against Model 3 rivals like the Polestar 2, Jaguar I-Pace, and Kia e-Soul among others, it might not take long for other companies to understand what Tesla is doing and bring some serious competition into the market. And for this reason, they are bringing in updates to the current Model 3 version.
Tesla To Update Model 3 Steering Wheel, Center Console, Headlights And More, Rumor Says
Tesla has been known to stay ahead of the competition by constantly making updates to their vehicles. Most of the time, these are over-the-air updates, which can be purchased over the web and they unlock hardware potential. This gives their customers a renewed feeling about their cars without having to physically change any components. This time, however, Tesla is going for a more traditional form of upgrading their cars, with a list of new hardware features that will be made available to all new customers of the Model 3.
Another reason why the automaker needs changes in the current Model 3 is the launch of the Model Y. Tesla-based the electric SUV on the design of Model 3, and it has roughly 70% similar parts. They also made several improvements in the Model Y based on what they learnt from Model 3, and that is why the demand for Model Y has grown a lot.
Correspondingly, the Model 3 might not get a lot of new customers, as the Model Y pretty much offers everything the Model 3 has, and also gives the customers more usable space and utility for just a little more money. While this puts the Model Y in a commanding position among electric SUVs, the potential Model 3 customers might tend to migrate. By opening up your wallets a little more, you get seating for two extra people, a slightly higher range, better features, and of course, a newer car on the market. While the Model 3 is not exactly old per se, it has been on the market for 2 years more than the Model Y, and say what you will, people tend to have a liking towards a brand-new model.
The features that might get added to the Model 3 as reported by a known leaker in China are:
- New steering wheel
- Center Console 2.0
- New headlights and taillights
- Powered trunk gate
- Chrome delete
- Octovalve and heat pump
- New windows with double panes
Many of these features make sense too. The frunk (front trunk) of the Model 3 was recently made smaller in size, and there were rumors that this was done to accommodate a heat pump. The heat pump is expected to give the car better efficiency in colder conditions, by bringing the components back into an optimal working range of temperature. The Octovalve system integrates the cooling circuit into a single heating and cooling management system, and it reportedly increased the range on the Model Y by up to 10%. Elon Musk himself applauded the work done by the team on the new heat pump, calling it ‘some of the best engineerings he has seen in a while’. Elaborating on the heat pump, he said that PCB design techniques were applied to create a heat exchanger that is physically impossible by normal means. This helps to increase overall vehicle efficiency as well, giving the Tesla even better range.
A new steering wheel and new headlights and taillights are expected to give a fresh look to the aesthetics, while the powered trunk gate is something Tesla has derived from the Model Y as well. The chrome delete is also something that was first tried out on the Model Y. The new windows might help with cabin noise cancellation and a sense of isolation that Elon Musk has often discussed with regard to his cars. The steering wheel upgrade is also supposed to bring in new sensors for hand detection. These new updates will be made available to all Model 3 vehicles that are being produced in the Fremont Megafactory. It is the first time that Tesla is experimenting in the USA, as they normally being about changes in China, before implementing them back home.
By bridging the gap between the features existing in the two vehicles, Tesla kind of simplifies the task of selecting which car you want to buy. Earlier, you would have to compare all the different features that exist in both models, weigh them with your requirements, and make a decision based on your gut. Now, it is more like – if you want a sporty sedan to rack up nice speeds on the highway, go for the Model 3; if you want a reliable SUV which gives you performance, but also some classy looks, you go for the Model Y.
