Tesla Model 3 getting raft of updates - report

The upcoming Tesla Model 3 facelift, reportedly codenamed Project Highland, will include updates both to the exterior and interior of the hot-selling electric sedan.

That’s the word from Not A Tesla App, which has compiled information it claims to have sourced from a “trusted insider”.

The updated model is reportedly set to enter production in the third quarter of 2023, with an update to the related Model Y – codenamed Project Juniper – set to follow. Prototypes have already been spied testing.

The refreshed Model 3 will reportedly be distinguished with reshaped headlights available with matrix LED technology.

They’ll reportedly sit above a redesigned front bumper, which will house a single camera in the centre; there will also be two new cameras, one on each side of the vehicle.

The outlet reports these will be 5-megapixel cameras with an anti-glare coating, superior to the 1.2-megapixel units in the current car. The updated model will also upgrade from the Hardware 3 supercomputer to Hardware 4.

No ultrasonic sensors will be available as the company pushes its Tesla Vision system, which relies not on radar or sensors but rather a camera.

A refreshed rear bumper is also expected, as are restyled mirrors.

Not A Tesla App reports Tesla will delete the vehicle’s exterior temperature sensor, with the car instead displaying a temperature based on its GPS location and weather data.

Speaking of GPS, the Model 3 will reportedly receive an improved GPS module to provide a more accurate location.

Tesla applied for a patent in August 2022 on a multi-band Global Navigation Satellite System antenna to allow it to tap other networks besides GPS to identify a vehicle’s location.

Inside, the Model 3 will reportedly lose its wood trim, potentially in favour of fabric, but don’t expect a complete overhaul of the dashboard like the Model S and Model X received with their most recent updates.

Tesla is, however, reportedly looking to simplify the Model 3’s interior.

It’s not clear how Tesla will simplify the cabin of the Model 3 given it has barely any switchgear, and most functions are controlled through the central touchscreen.

A 2021 update subbed the USB-A ports for USB-C ones, and brought a restyled centre console with two wireless phone chargers and extra storage.

Along with keeping the Model 3 fresh in the face of strong new competition, the update is reportedly aimed at making the car cheaper and easier for Tesla to produce.

Tesla doesn’t follow the traditional product lifecycles of vehicles from legacy automakers.

Its Model S for example, has been in production for over a decade now and, though it has received various running changes over its lifecycle, its exterior has received only the mildest of updates.

The Model 3 hasn’t been in production as long, but it did go on sale in 2017. While it has received tweaks and over-the-air updates since then, including the detail interior changes, its exterior styling is essentially unchanged.

Its age hasn’t held the Model 3 back in Australia, however. It was the third-best selling vehicle overall in January 2023, and was the best-selling passenger car ahead of traditional favourites such as the Toyota Corolla.

MORE: Everything Tesla Model 3