Tesla has been working on revamping the Model 3 for more than a year, with the update referred to internally as ‘Project Highland.’ After months of sightings of camouflaged Model 3s on the streets of California, the automaker will reportedly begin trial production of the Model 3 refresh in China next month.
News of Project Highland began late last year after a report emerged that Tesla was working on a refresh to the Model 3 that was intended to simplify the electric sedan’s design with fewer components to cut production costs. Since then there have been additional reports suggesting some of the design changes that could be coming with the update, and one leaked image that showed off the front of the vehicle and the redesigned headlights for the first time.
Other reports have suggested that production of the new Model 3 would begin in the third quarter of the year. That still appears to be accurate based on new information coming out of China, which says trial production could begin in just a few weeks. According to Twitter user Yan Chang (@cyfoxcat), who has provided reliable Tesla China information in the past, Giga Shanghai will start trial production of Project Highland starting on June 1.
To help prevent further leaks of the vehicle’s design, the report also states that employees will not be allowed to bring their cellphones into the workshop, an understandable measure based on the previously mentioned leak.
Rumor: Starting June 1, Tesla's Shanghai factory will not allow workers to bring their cell phones into the workshop, and Model 3 Highland will begin trial production.
— Yan Chang (@cyfoxcat) May 8, 2023
If the rumour is accurate it would certainly put Giga Shanghai on the path to starting series production of the updated Model 3 between July and September, as previously reported. It is still unclear when Fremont will begin production of the Highland Model 3, but they likely won’t be far behind their counterparts in China based on updates to the factory Tesla has been making over the past several months.
