Tesla has instigated yet another price reduction for its Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV. The brand has chopped $3000 off the entry versions of both, making the 3 RWD $62,500 ($55,485 after the Clean Car Discount) and the Y RWD $67,500 ($60,485 after CCD).
The Performance AWD versions of each are $92,400 and $97,500 respectively. Click here to see how the repriced Teslas stack up against every other BEV on sale in NZ.
The price drop comes as Tesla prepares an updated Model 3 (and presumably Model Y), known internally as Project Highland. It will reportedly see the electric vehicle (EV) gain an improved, higher-capacity CATL battery pack.
An unconfirmed Chinese report states the Model 3 RWD will feature an upgraded battery courtesy of CATL, one of Tesla's favoured suppliers. The new M3P lithium-ion battery will likely store around 66kWh - up from 60kWh on the current model.
With an increase of about 10 per cent, the new entry-level Model 3 could score upwards of 600 km of range on the CLTC (China Light Duty Vehicle Test Cycle). Contrastingly, the 60kWh battery delivers around 556km in the same test.
It's not a game-changing increase, but it's still good news for prospective Model 3 buyers. More than that, rumours have pointed to the refreshed Model Y (Project Juniper) featuring a similar CATL M3P battery pack. That unit could reportedly store up to 72kWh.
The larger battery pack might not be the only thing changing with the Model 3, as the electric sedan will likely feature a lengthier, sportier body. In any case, production for the Model 3 could start in September 2023 at the Tesla Gigafactory in Shanghai.