May 2023 - We Love Tesla

Since November 2022, there has been speculation regarding the Tesla Model 3 and the proposed reports that Tesla has been working on an update and refresh for one of their most popular vehicles. The current reports all lead to something Tesla is dubbing the code name – “Project Highland”.

However, as speculation has been building, little has been confirmed on the side of Tesla. Until recently when Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, finally gave some sort of confirmation about the supposed overhaul of the Tesla Model 3 in the most typical Elon Musk-style way.

Although it may be grasping at straws, Musk recently tweeted about the new Tesla Cybertruck parked next to a Tesla Model 3 on Twitter. A cunning Twitter user replied, “Cybertruck and Project Highland parked next to it.”, to which he responded by liking the tweet.

Now, this isn’t the end-all and be-all however the acknowledgement from Musk shows promising signs that the Tesla Project Highland reports are somewhat pointing in the correct direction.

So, what is the Tesla Project Highland and what does this have to do with the Tesla Model 3 and its features?

What is Project Highland?

Project Highland was first uncovered in November of 2022 and was a codename for the updates and changes that were planned to take place on one of Tesla’s most adored vehicles, the Tesla Model 3.

These changes will be the largest update that the Tesla Model 3 has ever seen since it was first introduced to the market in 2017. These updates have not been confirmed however the number of leaks and information that has been circulating the internet in recent months beg to differ.

What are the features of Project Highland?

Although Tesla is continuing to keep a hush on the worst-kept secret since their last one, there are a few unconfirmed rumours that we know are coming to the new Model 3.

The revamp of the electric car will see internal and external updates that will aim at turning the Model 3 back into Teslas best selling automotive vehicle. Currently, the Model 3 has been overshadowed by the Model Y SUV which is outselling the Model 3 by 46.29% in the UK in 2022.

However, this complete overhaul of the interior and exterior of the model will look to implement new changes that will revolutionize and build hype back around the Model 3.

In addition to the decline in sales, Project Highland is designed to cut production costs by decreasing the components used within the car whilst still painting the high-quality and innovative designs that Tesla is known for.

Some of the changes that are currently rumoured in the Project Highland update include, front and rear bumper sensors, redesigned headlights, additional cameras and improved internal hardware.

Improved Front and Rear Bumper Sensors & Additional Cameras

From what we know, the Project Highland update will completely overhaul the Model 3 front and rear sensors so that they now contain Tesla’s FSD Hardware Version 4.0 technology. This technology has 12 camera inputs instead of the typical 9 and will include 1,2 Mpixels and LED flicker mitigation which will improve the Tesla’s ability to read digital signs. It will also aim at reducing the camera blindspots currently on the old Tesla Model 3 and will include heaters that will reduce the build-up of fog to help aid with visibility.

Improved Internal Hardware

The overhaul of the interior of the Tesla Model 3 will also include an improvement on the internal hardware of the car including an FSD 4.0 computer that is over four times faster that the current 3.0 hardware version found in the Model 3. In addition to this, it will come from 20 processing cores rather than the typical 12. The FSD 4.0 also has an HD radar known as the Phoneix which has a much higher resolution than seen in the current Model 3 designs. Furthermore, it will contain a heater that will be used as protection to reduce snow, frost and ice from getting intertwined with the signal and causing issues. It will also use the same battery packs that are currently found in the Tesla Model Y which will help to reduce on production costs compared to the standard Model 3.

Redesigned Headlights

Due to the strong rumours surrounding the front and rear bumper sensors and additional cameras, there is a strong theory that suggests the Model 3 will have a revamped look in terms of the front bumper and headlight areas as well as the rear of the Model 3. Some rumours circulate around these changes because when the Tesla Model 3 test vehicles have been caught in public, the front and rear of the model have been wrapped potentially to disguise any current changes that Tesla has planned.

Conclusion

In conclusion, these improvements are only speculation at this current time however it is clear to see that there is a large amount of evidence as well as reasoning as to why Tesla will be making these updates and changes to the Model 3 in 2023.

The project is now rumoured to be in the test stages of production so we will keep you updated with any developments!

What Does This Mean For Selling My Tesla?

With the increase in hype and attention around the Tesla Model 3, there is no better time to sell our Tesla than today. At We Love Tesla, we will provide you with a competitive and fair price for your used Tesla vehicle. We offer a free instant online valuation service for your used Tesla vehicle that makes it stress-free and easy. Get in touch with us today and start your Tesla selling journey now.

Tesla has been confirmed to be launching a new project labelled ‘Project Juniper’, specifically focused on the Tesla Model Y. This project is a soft redesign of the Tesla Model Y which is designed to upgrade the interior and exterior of the Tesla Model Y and is set to begin in October 2024. It’s fascinating to see the reveal of this new project as Telsa has made a number of changes this year including reducing standard RRP across the entirety of their current new vehicles and their aims after 2022 in terms of focusing on manufacturing to focus on the production of new vehicles in 2023. We take a look at what Project Juniper is and how this may affect the Model Y and other Tesla vehicles in the future.

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Don’t Expect a New Model Y But Expect Price-Cutting Options

It has been rumoured to not expect an entire redesign of the Model Y’s design, but rather a number of interior and exterior upgrades to the current range despite the complete rehauls that we saw of the Model S & Model X in 2021. This is highly likely to be because of factory costs and Tesla’s concerns about not reaching manufacturing targets despite focusing solely on manufacturing in 2022. Saying this, the code-named ‘Project Highland’ has been proposed for the Model 3 which we discuss in more detail in this article.

It’s not clear what improvements are going to be made currently to the Model Y in Project Juniper. However, it’s highly likely that because of the reduction in new Tesla vehicle price points – that this will aim to reduce costs rather than to release a more premium Model Y vehicle. Until we receive more information, we will be unsure as to whether this will increase the RRP of the Model Y or if there will be innovations made to reduce the costs. This will affect the market as if price points increase – used Model Y vehicles will rise in value and vice-versa. We will keep you updated on developments as these are released from Tesla.

The EV Market is Continuing to Expand

The UK Government in January released their recommended insights and potential future updates to the MOT testing system. This shows the growing impact that the EV market is having on the ‘traditional’ vehicle market. Because of the fact that EV manufacturers such as Tesla are developing safety methods and increased safety, the Government is looking to increase the MOT first testing year from 3 years to 4 years, potentially saving motorists £100m per year. This shows that the growing EV market is having a huge impact and this is likely a key indicator as to why Tesla are looking to upgrade their vehicles to continue to compete in the EV space.