Tesla has updated its Model 3 ordering page on its website, with certain changes, including an increase in the driving range, suggesting that it will now be the Model 3 made in China that will reach Australia.
In addition, customers are beginning to report that Tesla showrooms have confirmed that several existing orders have been “matched” to Chinese VINs.
Changes to the Model 3 order page for Standard Range Plus include 19 “sport wheels now available as an option for $ A2,200 (entry model 3 was previously available only with 18” eros) and the option to choose a white interior for $ A1,500 (a black interior was the only color on offer previously), as noted for the first time by EV-HQ.
The Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus driving range is now listed at 508 km instead of the previous 490 km (noting that these numbers are based on the NEDC cycle and are therefore much higher than the actual driving range).
This particular change also means that the new Models 3 arriving in Australia will most likely now have the cheapest lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery made by Chinese battery manufacturer CATL, which Tesla started using at its factory in Shanghai in its attempt to locate parts to reduce production costs.
However, according to some European reports, the LFP battery can also charge more slowly and have a shorter life span than the NCA battery used in the Fremont model.
A price change was not applied to the Model 3 order page in Australia on Saturday afternoon.
The changes come with the appearance of images of a massive batch of model 3 with right-hand drive have been spotted at the Tesla factory in Shanghai, generating speculation that Tesla is preparing to start delivering the model made in China to markets like Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, as reported by Techau on Friday.
A batch of MIC MODEL3 with protective film appeared at the Shanghai plant. Obviously, these M3’s will be exported to international markets and are right-hand drive vehicles. pic.twitter.com/FChUcAanwJ
– 乌瓦 (@bentv_sh) January 14, 2021
More importantly, it appears that Tesla has already started combining these vehicles with existing orders. In a Facebook post on Saturday, an existing customer said he had spoken to a Tesla sales representative by phone, who told them “they can see 300 orders with compatible VINs ready for this next shipment and appear to be Shanghai VINs”.
The team member also said that Tesla is “implementing the ability to adjust…. design features ”for those with orders in progress and who would like to take advantage of the new options.
While China-made Model 3 also exhibits some of the same changes that Tesla applied to its Fremont 2021 update Model 3, which first arrived in Australia in December, like black door handles and window outlines instead of chrome, it is unclear whether the Model 3 made in China will also feature the Model Y heat pump.
Teslarati reported in September that Tesla 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 Models 3s are being made with heat pumps now or soon.
– Ray4Tesla⚡️🚘☀️🔋 (@ ray4tesla) September 14, 2020
The model Y heat pump uses a highly efficient octo-valve that significantly reduces the energy consumption of auxiliary functions, such as heating and cooling.
We have contacted Tesla Australia to confirm further details and will update this article when more information is known.
Bridie Schmidt is the lead reporter for The Driven, a sister site to Renew Economy. She specializes in writing about new technologies and has been writing about electric vehicles for two years. She has a keen interest in the role that zero-emission transport has to play in sustainability and is a co-organizer of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum.