A white Tesla Model 3 “Highland” wearing front and rear bumper covers was spotted in Morgan Hills, California by X user @thortr29, who said he saw the refreshed EV on his way to work.
Morgan Hills is about one hour south of Tesla’s Fremont factory in Northern California, where the non-facelifted EV is currently being manufactured for the North American market, whereas Europe, Australia, and New Zealand (among others) get their revamped Model 3s from China.
This isn’t the first time a camouflaged “Highland” vehicle was seen in the United States, with several sightings posted online before the model’s reveal at the end of August, but now that we know just about everything there is to know about the redesigned Model 3, why is Tesla still using camouflage in this part of the world?
It might be that there are some subtle differences between the US-spec model and the one that’s sold in Europe, like the amber headlight details that first popped on the radar with the internet-famous leaked photo of a black “Highland” Model 3 published back in April, details which are not present on the Chinese-made models.
Whatever the reason, it’s another indication that US customers will soon be able to order the refreshed EV, after the company filed several permit applications for the retooling of the Fremont Gigafactory, which usually means a new model is on the way.
Today, customers in the US and a handful of other countries are not yet able to order the new Model 3, with Tesla being mum on details.
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The changes brought about by the refresh include a more aerodynamic front end with redesigned headlamps, as well as a reengineered rear trunk lid that holds a pair of single-piece tail lamps, as opposed to the non-facelift model that has split rear lights.
The EV is one inch longer than before and has a slightly upgraded cabin with ambient lighting, a central touchscreen display with slimmer bezels, a new 8-inch rear display, and improved soundproofing.
In RWD trim with 18-inch wheels, the new Model 3 has a WLTP-rated range of 344 miles (554 kilometers), while the Long Range variant can travel up to 421 miles (678 km) on a full charge, which translates to a roughly eight percent increase from the equivalent-spec current model.