Tesla CEO Elon Musk is reportedly slated to present an early glimpse of the company’s newly updated Model 3 sedan during his first visit to the Shanghai factory in several years, reports Bloomberg citing anonymous sources (via Tesla North).
The public showcase, reported scheduled for this Thursday local time in Shanghai, will reveal prototypes of the revamped Model 3 as it rolls off the assembly line. The modified vehicle, originally launched as Tesla’s entry into the mass-market sedan segment, now sports an elongated, sportier build compared to its original version and features an upgraded interior, according to earlier reports by Bloomberg.
This reveal comes at a pivotal time for Tesla as it navigates an increasingly competitive market landscape in China, the company’s second-largest sales territory following the United States. Tesla has barely made any changes to the Model 3 since its inception in 2017. This stagnant design has provided an opportunity for local competitors, notably BYD, to steadily encroach on Tesla’s market share. This intensified competition has prompted Tesla to initiate price drops, igniting an industry-wide price war and squeezing profit margins.
This week signifies Musk’s first official visit to China in three years, which began in Beijing and will culminate at the Shanghai factory. On Wednesday, Musk was seen in the capital city in talks with Jin Zhuanglong, China’s Minister for Industry and Information Technology, ahead of his anticipated factory tour.
Today, social media was abuzz with images of Musk and senior executive Tom Zhu posing for pictures with Gigafactory Shanghai employees:
BREAKING: Elon Musk and Tom Zhu pose for two photos with employees at the Giga factory in Shanghai, late at night Beijing time, and what a team!@elonmusk @mayemusk pic.twitter.com/xqb2Ys4nBC
— Yan Chang (@cyfoxcat) May 31, 2023
As Tesla edges closer to completing its final trial production in Shanghai, more information about the reimagined Model 3 is expected to surface. Dubbed “Highland”, the prototype has been sighted on Californian streets, its front and rear shrouded to keep the cosmetic design under wraps.
Previous reports suggest the refreshed model will further simplify Tesla’s minimalistic design ethos, notably doing away with the turn signal and gear selector stalks, as seen on the latest Model S and Model X vehicles from the company.
