News
Tesla Model 3 ‘Highland’ rumored to bring ‘major’ exterior redesign, slew of modern improvements
Tesla’s Model 3 “Highland” has been speculated upon for nearly a year after being brought to light in late 2022 by a leaked report. More details continue to pour out, and rumors of a “major” exterior redesign and a slew of modern improvements are set to bring the automaker’s first mass-market vehicle out of the late 2010s and into 2023.
After being brought to light in late 2022, more details about “Highland” have been revealed through various sources. Teslarati has revealed that Tesla has been working on the project for a year now, despite it only being known about since October.
Periodic sightings of the “Highland” Model 3 have shown slightly redefined front ends, new wheels, new taillights, and other improvements cosmetically. However, initial reports had pushed for more attention to be paid to infotainment.
Tesla Model 3 Highland design details and upgrades confirmed
Teslascope is now indicating that Tesla is planning to implement “dozens” of technological advancements that will update the Model 3 significantly. And although Tesla “refreshed” the Model 3 just two years ago, these changes were mostly to update the look without changing the overall design. One example of this is the “chrome delete” look it now equips.
The Model 3 will now feature steer-by-wire, a system that relies on digital signals to adjust the driving experience and remove anything from vibrations to sudden bumps that can be caused by things like potholes.
Tesla will also rumoredly use matrix LED headlights across the entire Model 3 lineup and also use RGB ambient lights for a more modern feel.
Tesla is incorporating dozens of technological advancements within Highland, including, for the first time, steer-by-wire Yoke and steering wheels.
Other additions include matrix LEDs on all trims & redesigned RGB ambient lights, providing a more modern feel for all passengers.
— Teslascope (@teslascope) June 22, 2023
Tesla is also looking to be more sustainable with its powertrains for the Model 3 through the use of recycled materials. This a detail that will reportedly spread through the Model 3 program and extend to the Model Y.
It seems Tesla’s biggest goal with the Model 3 “Highland” revamp was to give owners what they wanted, as suggestions were routinely received by CEO Elon Musk on Twitter.
But there’s also an improvement in the quality of parts, which includes upgraded cameras that have been seen on the Hardware 4-equipped Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles. These improved quality cameras are set to help Tesla’s self-driving efforts, and many owners have reported the new installations are obviously of higher quality than the old iterations.
Based on those working closely on the Highland project, we’ve been told that Highland will not only include the upgraded cameras we’ve seen on HW4-equipped vehicles but will be one of the first models to incorporate a new front fascia.
Yes, that includes a new bumper camera. ?
— Teslascope (@teslascope) June 22, 2023
Routine sightings of the Model 3 Highland project have continued through the past few months, and hopefully, we’ll be able to see a less-covered version of the car moving forward.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
Elon Musk
Brazil Supreme Court orders Elon Musk and X investigation closed
The decision was issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes following a recommendation from Brazil’s Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet.
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court has ordered the closure of an investigation involving Elon Musk and social media platform X. The inquiry had been pending for about two years and examined whether the platform was used to coordinate attacks against members of the judiciary.
The decision was issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes following a recommendation from Brazil’s Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet.
According to a report from Agencia Brasil, the investigation conducted by the Federal Police did not find evidence that X deliberately attempted to attack the judiciary or circumvent court orders.
Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet concluded that the irregularities identified during the probe did not indicate fraudulent intent.
Justice Moraes accepted the prosecutor’s recommendation and ruled that the investigation should be closed. Under the ruling, the case will remain closed unless new evidence emerges.
The inquiry stemmed from concerns that content on X may have enabled online attacks against Supreme Court justices or violated rulings requiring the suspension of certain accounts under investigation.
Justice Moraes had previously taken several enforcement actions related to the platform during the broader dispute involving social media regulation in Brazil.
These included ordering a nationwide block of the platform, freezing Starlink accounts, and imposing fines on X totaling about $5.2 million. Authorities also froze financial assets linked to X and SpaceX through Starlink to collect unpaid penalties and seized roughly $3.3 million from the companies’ accounts.
Moraes also imposed daily fines of up to R$5 million, about $920,000, for alleged evasion of the X ban and established penalties of R$50,000 per day for VPN users who attempted to bypass the restriction.
Brazil remains an important market for X, with roughly 17 million users, making it one of the platform’s larger user bases globally.
The country is also a major market for Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, which has surpassed one million subscribers in Brazil.
Elon Musk
FCC chair criticizes Amazon over opposition to SpaceX satellite plan
Carr made the remarks in a post on social media platform X.
U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr criticized Amazon after the company opposed SpaceX’s proposal to launch a large satellite constellation that could function as an orbital data center network.
Carr made the remarks in a post on social media platform X.
Amazon recently urged the FCC to reject SpaceX’s application to deploy a constellation of up to 1 million low Earth orbit satellites that could serve as artificial intelligence data centers in space.
The company described the proposal as a “lofty ambition rather than a real plan,” arguing that SpaceX had not provided sufficient details about how the system would operate.
Carr responded by pointing to Amazon’s own satellite deployment progress.
“Amazon should focus on the fact that it will fall roughly 1,000 satellites short of meeting its upcoming deployment milestone, rather than spending their time and resources filing petitions against companies that are putting thousands of satellites in orbit,” Carr wrote on X.
Amazon has declined to comment on the statement.
Amazon has been working to deploy its Project Kuiper satellite network, which is intended to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink service. The company has invested more than $10 billion in the program and has launched more than 200 satellites since April of last year.
Amazon has also asked the FCC for a 24-month extension, until July 2028, to meet a requirement to deploy roughly 1,600 satellites by July 2026, as noted in a CNBC report.
SpaceX’s Starlink network currently has nearly 10,000 satellites in orbit and serves roughly 10 million customers. The FCC has also authorized SpaceX to deploy 7,500 additional satellites as the company continues expanding its global satellite internet network.
Energy
Tesla Energy gains UK license to sell electricity to homes and businesses
The license was granted to Tesla Energy Ventures Ltd. by UK energy regulator Ofgem after a seven-month review process.
Tesla Energy has received a license to supply electricity in the United Kingdom, opening the door for the company to serve homes and businesses in the country.
The license was granted to Tesla Energy Ventures Ltd. by UK energy regulator Ofgem after a seven-month review process.
According to Ofgem, the license took effect at 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday and applies to Great Britain.
The approval allows Tesla’s energy business to sell electricity directly to customers in the region, as noted in a Bloomberg News report.
Tesla has already expanded similar services in the United States. In Texas, the company offers electricity plans that allow Tesla owners to charge their vehicles at a lower cost while also feeding excess electricity back into the grid.
Tesla already has a sizable presence in the UK market. According to price comparison website U-switch, there are more than 250,000 Tesla electric vehicles in the country and thousands of Tesla home energy storage systems.
Ofgem also noted that Tesla Motors Ltd., a separate entity incorporated in England and Wales, received an electricity generation license in June 2020.
The new UK license arrives as Tesla continues expanding its global energy business.
Last year, Tesla Energy retained the top position in the global battery energy storage system (BESS) integrator market for the second consecutive year. According to Wood Mackenzie’s latest rankings, Tesla held about 15% of global market share in 2024.
The company also maintained a dominant position in North America, where it captured roughly 39% market share in the region.
At the same time, competition in the energy storage sector is increasing. Chinese companies such as Sungrow have been expanding their presence globally, particularly in Europe.
Brazil Supreme Court orders Elon Musk and X investigation closed
FCC chair criticizes Amazon over opposition to SpaceX satellite plan
