- Tesla has announced a number of improvements to the Model 3 for the 2026 model year.
- The Performance model gets battery upgrades that increase its range by almost 50km.
- A new Long Range RWD model is being introduced that will offer up to 750km of range.
Tesla Australia and New Zealand has announced a number of upgrades for the Model 3, with a new Long Range RWD model added to the range and battery upgrades for the hot Model 3 Performance.
The company says the Model 3 Long Range RWD packs a driving range of up to 750km under the WLTP test cycle, making it what Tesla says is the "longest range EV in Australia and New Zealand".
Landing in New Zealand at $71,900, the Long Range RWD is available to order now, with deliveries starting in November. The car comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, a black interior and a Pearl White paint finish, while black, grey, red, metallic blue and 'Quicksilver' are optional colours, as are 19-inch wheels and a white interior. Tesla quotes a 691km range for cars fitted with the optional 19-inch wheels.
The Model 3 Performance also gets a boosted range with an update to its nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) that sees its WLTP figure jump from 528km to 571km.
The $84,900 Performance packs 343kW of power and will rocket to 100km/h in just 3.1 seconds, with a top speed of 261km.
Alongside these updates, Tesla also announced that the Model 3 has retained its 5 star safety rating after being retested by ANCAP under the stricter 2025 testing criteria, and that all Model 3s will now come standard with black Tesla badging.
