Tesla Model 3 revealed with no indicator stalks, NZ price hike

Friday, 1 September 2023

These two colours, Ultra-Red and Sealth Grey, are new options Down Under.

Just a few hours after it leaked online, Tesla has unveiled its new Model 3 electric sedan in full – complete with New Zealand pricing.

As previously reported, the Model 3 inherits a Roadster-esque new front fascia and revised tail lights, topping and tailing a familiar silhouette.

No stalks, no worries according to Tesla. Indicator controls have shifted to the steering wheel, and drive gear controls to the touchscreen.

Tesla also showed off the Model 3’s tweaked cabin space. As suspected, the update foregoes a drive selector stalk (Smart Shift, it calls it), instead moving the feature to the touch screen – a first of sorts for cars in the modern era.

The indicator stalk has also been removed, with indicator functions now sitting on the steering wheel via a pair of haptic buttons.

The tail lights are now built into the tailgate for improved fit and finish.

The stalk exodus further reduces the amount of physical buttons in the Model 3, a measure that helps its minimalist aesthetic whilst undoubtedly also making it cheaper to produce.

Tesla boasts that the Model 3 is now as quiet as ever inside thanks to more sound deadening materials, beefed up suspension bushings, improved seals, and copious amounts of acoustic glass.

Tesla has opened the doors to its second store in Auckland, featuring a huge car delivery area, parts area, and service center.

The update also makes good on a feature that Model 3 owners have been calling out for; ventilated seats. Ambient lighting also makes an appearance for the first time.

Tesla’s improved the screens, too. The front 15.4-inch unit is now brighter and more responsive with a ‘customisable user interface’ and smaller bezels, and those in the back now get an 8-inch with which they can control climate and entertainment.

So, what of power and battery technology? Tesla has not provided any direct figures for battery size or power output, with reports that motor and battery hardware carry over from the last Model 3.

A glimpse of the 8-inch screen those in the back seat get to play with.

It appears Tesla has traded some performance ability for range. According to information released on its websites, the Standard Range Model 3’s range abilities have grown from 491km to 513km, and the Long Range from 602km to 629km.

Some of this range growth may also stem from the sedan’s slipperier nose.

Acceleration figures are unchanged (6.1 second 0–100kph in the Standard Range, 4.4 seconds in the Long Range). But, top speed has been reduced across the board, from 225kph in the base model and 233kph in the Long Range to 201kph for both variants.

Absent from all of this is the Tesla Model 3 Performance. Its full details are expected to be unveiled at a later date.

All of these tweaks come at a premium, although it’s less than you might think. The base rear-wheel drive Model 3’s price has gone up from $62,500 to $67,900, whilst the Long Range returns to the local line-up with a price of $76,200.

Local deliveries are said to be kicking off in the first quarter of 2024, with Tesla New Zealand already taking online orders for the new model.