The Model 3 redesign was codenamed Highland and was designed to reduce the complexity and number of components used to produce the Tesla sedan.
Reconstruction can include changes in the exterior of the car and the performance of the transmission. The project is said to be based on the updated 2021 Model S. Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai will begin production of the new Model 3 in the third quarter of 2023, to be joined by the automaker’s plant in Fremont, California.
It’s unclear how much Tesla expects to save on the new Model 3. The automaker currently makes a profit of about $9,500 on each car it produces. There’s also no mention of whether the next-generation 4680 batteries will be included in the update. In 2020, Elon Musk said the new battery design would allow Tesla to produce a $25,000 electric car within three years.
However, the production date may change. More precise data about the terms are not provided, and the company is not too used to keeping its promises. For example, when Tesla first announced the Cybertruck, Elon Musk said mass production would begin in 2021. First, this date was moved to 2022, and later to 2023.
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Tesla Cybertruck collects 1.5 million pre-orders – mass production will begin in mid-2023
The Tesla Model 3 was originally designed as an electric car for the masses and its price was supposed to start at $35,000. But once production started, the car was only available at that price for a short period — and only as a special order. This version had a slightly worse interior – for example, there were cloth seats and an open storage bin on the center console, but no phone chargers. The cost of the most affordable Model 3 starts at $46,990.
By design, the Model 3 already has a radically simplified interior compared to other cars in its class, with just a single infotainment screen, no instrument panel, and limited switch buttons that don’t even have full wiper controls. Some of the initial series had a quality soft Alcantara-style headliner before Tesla switched to a different material.
Her most recent interior change took place in 2021 with the introduction of a new matte-finish center console with built-in wireless phone chargers and a pull-out storage compartment.
Tesla recently updated its first production car, the Model S, which has a newer and more powerful powerplant, as well as an improved interior. The automaker redesigned the front bumper of the Model S in 2016, but the car mostly looked similar to the original 2012 model. The newer Model S now has an orientated screen (similar to the Model 3) powered by a computer with performance equivalent to the PS5. The Model 3, by comparison, last year only got an AMD processor, which replaced an outdated infotainment computer based on Intel Atom.
A cheaper and more attractive Model 3 would certainly be useful in a market where electric cars command higher prices. But the fact that the car will be cheaper to manufacture does not mean that the savings will be passed on to the customer. For years, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has promised to make a $25,000 Tesla, but he still hasn’t delivered. Much will depend on whether the automaker can build its currently announced cars while keeping costs down. Even for its much-hyped but delayed Cybertruck, the company will increase the starting price by $39,900.
Most importantly, Tesla needs to retain loyal customers from its competitors. Manufacturers such as Volkswagen, Hyundai and General Motors are ramping up the production of electric cars, which may eventually “demolish” Elon Musk’s company from the top of the sales ladder.
Source: The Verge, Engadget