Tesla is rumored to debut its new Model 3 design refresh on Thursday, according to Bloomberg. However, I’d take the report with a grain of salt.
As we reported yesterday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is visiting China this week, and it sparked rumors about the launch of FSD Beta in China and the new Model 3.
The latter is due to the fact that Tesla has lately launched new versions of its vehicles in China, first through Gigafactory Shanghai.
Now Bloomberg is adding to the speculation, claiming that it has sources saying that Tesla will show an “early glimpse” of the new Model 3:
Tesla Inc. plans to give an early glimpse of its revamped Model 3 sedan as part of Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk’s first visit to the carmaker’s Shanghai factory in years, according to people familiar with the matter.
The publication claims that Tesla will have prototypes of the new Model 3 coming off the line on Thursday.
Late last year, we started hearing rumors that Tesla was working on a Model 3 refresh that would come during the second half of 2023. The project is reportedly codenamed “Highland.”
In December, a Model 3 prototype with heavy camouflage was spotted being tested in California. Another prototype was spotted shortly after as Tesla is expected to be closer to releasing the vehicle.
With the heavy camouflage on the front and back of those prototypes, it has been hard to identify any specific change to the Model 3. But last month, the first picture of the new Model 3 without camouflage leaked, giving us our first proper look at the upcoming refresh.
Electrek’s Take
We noted to take the report with a grain of salt because it’s unlike Tesla to give a glimpse of a vehicle ahead of it becoming available. Tesla most often doesn’t even acknowledge that an update is coming to a vehicle until it’s there for fear that it will negatively affect current sales.
Unless Bloomberg got it wrong, and these are not prototypes coming off the line, but actual production versions ready for deliveries, I don’t see it.
At the same time, this is a fairly mild update, and some people could actually prefer the existing model, which still has steering stalks.
What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.