Tesla’s Project Highland Model 3 refresh is still shrouded in secrecy, even though several prototypes have been spotted on the streets of California. While those prototypes have revealed some of what will be updated, both on the exterior and interior, there will reportedly be many more significant changes that haven’t been seen yet.
The latest information comes from Teslascope, who has reportedly spoken with several employees involved in or with knowledge of the project. According to those employees Highland will be a complete overhaul of the Model 3, and the biggest refresh of any Tesla vehicle to date.
On the outside we have already seen glimpses of a new front and rear end. While no specifics were given, for obvious reasons, the design changes will reportedly go far beyond that and be a major refresh of the exterior. We have long suspected that Tesla was not showing off everything they were going to change in these prototypes, even under camouflage, as a simple change to the front bumper and rear bumpers and headlights and taillights did not seem like enough of a change for a car that is nearing 6 years old.
For the interior, Tesla is reportedly upgrading it significantly as well to be much closer to the look and feel of the Model S and Model X, while featuring more recycled materials as part of the company’s ongoing efforts towards sustainability. The interior will gain RGB ambient lights, an enhanced audio system derived from the latest Model S/X, and possibly a rear screen, although the latter has not yet been confirmed that will be included in the final production version.
Earlier this week we saw a new Tesla patent application for a steer-by-wire system, and according to Teslascope’s sources the Highland refresh will be the first vehicle to incorporate it.
In terms of technology, Highland will come equipped with Tesla’s latest Autopilot computer, HW4, featuring the upgraded cameras we have already seen on the Model S, Model X, and Model Y. However, the new Model 3 will reportedly have one key difference – a front bumper camera.
With all of these changes it is anticipated that Tesla will strive to maintain a similar price range as the current generation Model 3, which will reportedly be made possible due to improvements in the manufacturing process. As for the launch date of Highland, there are conflicting reports from the unnamed sources. While some employees suggest a release within the next few months, others indicate a later timeframe, possibly extending into Q1 2024.
You can read Teslascope’s full Twitter thread by clicking below.
https://twitter.com/teslascope/status/1671956434878345218?s=46&t=4qIejx9C8-y8BPcKtu0iIw
