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Tesla has updated its Model 3 order page on its website, with some changes, including an increase in range that suggests it will now be the China-made Model 3 arriving in Australia.
Additionally, customers are starting to report that Tesla’s showrooms have confirmed that several existing orders have been “soft-match” with Chinese VINs.
Model 3 order page changes to the Standard Plus lineup include 19-inch sport wheels now available as an option for A2 $ 200 (the entry-level Model 3 was previously only available at 18 ″ eros), and the option of choosing a white interior for A1 $ 500 (a black interior was the only color previously offered), as EV-HQ first noted.
The range of the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus is also listed at 508 km instead of the previous 490 km (note that these figures are based on the NEDC cycle and are therefore much higher than the actual range).
This particular change also means that the new Model 3s arriving in Australia will more than likely have the cheaper lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery made by Chinese battery maker CATL, which Tesla has started using at its factory in Shanghai to try to locate parts. to reduce production costs.
However, according to some European reports, the LFP battery may also charge more slowly and have a shorter lifespan than the NCA battery used in the model manufactured by Fremont.
No price changes were made to the Model 3 order page in Australia on Saturday afternoon.
The changes come as images of a massive batch of right-hand drive Model 3s have been spotted at Tesla’s Shanghai plant, which has sparked speculation Tesla is preparing to start shipping the China-made product. in markets such as Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. , as reported by Techau on Friday.
A batch of MIC MODEL3 with protective film appeared in the Shanghai factory. Obviously these M3s will be exported to overseas markets and they are right hand drive vehicles. pic.twitter.com/FChUcAanwJ
– Uva (@bentv_sh) January 14, 2021
Above all, it looks like Tesla has already started matching these vehicles to existing orders. In a Facebook post on Saturday, an existing customer said he spoke by phone to a Tesla sales rep who told them, “They can see 300 orders with soft matching VINs ready for this next shipment and they appear to be VINs. of Shanghai ”.
The staff member also said that Tesla “implements the ability to tweak…. design features ”for those with pending orders who wish to take advantage of the new options.
While the Chinese-made Model 3 also sports some of the same changes that Tesla applied to its 2021 Fremont-made refresh Model 3 that first arrived in Australia in December, like black door handles and window frames. instead of chrome, it’s not clear. if the model 3 made in China will also be equipped with the model Y heat pump.
Teslarati reported in September that Tesla had ordered 450,000 heat pumps for Shanghai, indicating that this may well be the case.
Based on the document, it is reasonable to assume that the 3 Models are either made with heat pumps or soon will be.
– Ray4Tesla⚡️🚘☀️🔋 (@ ray4tesla) September 14, 2020
The Model Y heat pump uses a highly efficient octovalve which significantly reduces the energy consumption of auxiliary functions such as heating and cooling.
We have contacted Tesla Australia to confirm more details and will update this article when more information becomes known.
Bridie Schmidt is a senior reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specializes in writing about new technologies and has been writing about electric vehicles for the past two years. She has a keen interest in the role zero emission transport must play in sustainability and is a co-organizer of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum.
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