Tesla pushed back the estimated delivery dates for the Model 3 destined for left-hand drive European markets by as late as January 2024, according to the latest update to the company’s online configurator, which was spotted by Twitter user @TslaChan.
Before the update, customers of new built-to-order Model 3 units were told that they could receive their cars as early as the same month, but now the earliest estimated delivery date is October.
According to the source, the idea would be to get rid of the current inventory of cars before the refreshed Project Highland model goes into production, but nothing is official at this point.
As per Tesla’s website, European purchasers placing orders for a rear-wheel drive or Long-Range Model 3 have to wait for their new cars until October or November, while orders for the Model 3 Performance will be fulfilled between November 2023 and January 2024.
All the Model 3 units delivered to Europe are assembled in Shanghai, China, where previous rumors suggested Tesla was going to start production of the so-called Project Highland update, roughly at the same time as the firm’s Fremont Gigafactory.
DriveTeslaCanada writes that this latest move hints at a possible launch for the refreshed four-door electric sedan, which has been seen testing out and about on the streets of North America, as well as at the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG) in New Zealand for winter testing next to a couple of Cybertruck prototypes.
It’s worth noting that the estimated delivery times for right-hand drive markets like the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand remain unchanged, which leads us to speculate that Tesla is first developing the updated Model 3 for left-hand drive markets, leaving RHD countries for later.
This wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise, seeing how the Austin-based EV maker canceled Model S and Model X orders and offered customers the option of switching to a new RHD Model Y or Model 3. Alternatively, purchasers had the option of getting a left-hand drive model of their choice, in which case they got a complementary grabbing stick to make it easier to pay for parking, road tolls, or drive-through food.
As always, we’d like to know what you think about this, so head over to the comments section below to give us your thoughts.
