1st Look At 2021 Tesla Model 3
A new version of Tesla’s Model 3 has arrived in Hong Kong. Driving UpCar shared a first look at it on YouTube. DDcar also reported that Hong Kong Tesla has officially brought the new 2021 Model 3 into the K11 Mall in Tsim Sha Tsui for public display. This batch of Model 3 cars was made in the Fremont factory and is expected to have basically the same configuration around the world.
Some of the changes discussed in the video include a minor change in the headlights, new design on the wheels, all-black trim, and door handles, of which they say, “I believe it’s not that easy to leave a fingerprint on them now.”
“You need to pay more if you opt for the black trims on Audi,” he said, and she replied, “You don’t need to pay more on this. Black Edition.” Other details included laminated windows, which make the vehicle even quieter. The rear has a power trunk lid, which is a common request by Tesla owners. One thing that the hosts were excited about was that there wasn’t an extra charge for this.
Another problem, which many Model 3 owners have complained about, was how water could pour into the trunk after it rained. In this new Model 3, they noted that there’s a fix to that problem. “The weatherstripping has holes on it now.” The holes drain the water to both sides to prevent water from spilling into the trunk during a downpour when you lift the trunk.
The next major changes are inside the car. One of the first things the hosts noticed was that a symbol is added to the door handle. This little detail helps people to find the symbol. “It’s user-friendly now. You don’t know how [to open the door]? There’s a symbol to show you,” Another change is that the steering wheel has a better grip than it did previously, and the two rotary dials are made of metal. “Feels great while rolling them.”
Another change is the center console, which we’ve previously reported on. “Brand new design. A wireless charger covered with suede is added. The way how the storage bin cover operates has changed, too. It was hard to close.” Another change is that the piano black finishing is gone and the hosts pointed out this was important since that attracted dust and showed fingerprints. These new changes make it harder for dust and fingerprints to show. “As I’ve said, more user-friendly, more practical,” which makes for happier customers.
One major improvement is the USB slot in the glovebox that comes with a USB flash drive. “Owners need not to add a hard drive. A USB flash drive as a gift.” The flash drive has 64 GB of storage and a cute Tesla logo. There are also charging ports under the A/C vents in the back. The ports switch from USB to Type-C ports for faster charging.
There are also changes in performance. “Two versions out of three — Long Range and Performance versions — have been upgraded. Long Range is a bit faster — 0.2 seconds faster than before in 0–100 km/h.” The range is also 20 km longer for the Long Range and 37 km longer for the Performance, which is “0.1-second faster, 0–100km/h in 3.3 seconds.”
The hosts also point out that they had been hearing rumors that these “facelift” versions of the Model 3 were made in China, which he debunked in the video. “Facelift versions now in stock are still made in the US. They have a large volume in stock by hearsay. But they also have a plan to switch. The production line in Shanghai will produce cars for Hong Kong. But which model, prices, and other information are yet to be determined. So until the official announcement, all Teslas are made in the US.”
Earlier in October, Whole Mars Blog, who recently deleted his Twitter account, gave his Twitter following a bit of a random tour of Tesla’s 4860 cell production site at Kato Rd. and Page Ave. Omar Qazi found quite a few Model 3 cars that were brand new and had what looked like “chrome delete” (the black trim on the door handles instead of the shiny chrome).
One last thing the hosts mentioned in the video was that original Model 3 owners may feel as if they are missing out as the newer ones are refreshed with the new facelift. Naturally, that happens. However, this statement makes a lot of sense: “The sooner you own it, the sooner you enjoy it. The later you buy it, you’ll get more for sure,” meaning that each new model will have something different, be better, and be refreshed a bit. This happens with all Tesla models (and cars in general, but on a different schedule) — as Tesla continues to improve, improvements are integrated on a running bases. Some earlier customers may feel a bit disgruntled, but I look at it like this: you are helping foot the cost of innovation. Tesla wouldn’t be where it is today without its original customers and investors.
Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Latest CleanTechnica.TV Video
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.
