Tesla Model 3
Tesla secures official regulatory approval to sell Model 3 in Europe
In a recent letter to Tesla employees, Elon Musk noted that the first quarter of 2019 would see Model 3 deliveries starting in international markets. Musk said that Tesla is adopting a similar strategy in Q1 2019 as it did in Q3 2018, with the company pushing the Model 3’s higher-cost versions in Europe and China. If successful, and with some degree of luck, Musk stated that Tesla could “target a tiny profit” this first quarter.
Recent updates from European regulators suggest that Tesla’s Model 3 ramp in the region would face no issues from regulators. In an update on its official website, Dutch vehicle authority RDW cleared the electric car maker to start delivering the Model 3 across Europe. On Friday, Los Angeles Times reporter Russ Mitchell also posted a tweet attributed to a Tesla spokesperson, who stated that the company had received European approval for the electric sedan.
https://twitter.com/russ1mitchell/status/1086377186041331713
With the Model 3 gaining homologation approval, there is very little that can get in the way of Tesla saturating Europe with the electic sedan. While the Model S and Model X both gained homologation without any problems, after all, any issues with the Model 3’s approval could have compromised Tesla’s plans for the vehicle’s European push, which reportedly involves shipping 3,000 units of the electric sedan to the region per week starting in February.
This is precisely what happened to legacy automaker Audi and its e-tron all-electric SUV, which reportedly failed homologation due to issues with the vehicle’s software. While the e-tron garnered a notable amount of interest from potential buyers in the region, Audi ultimately stated that its first all-electric SUV would not be released by the end of 2018 as initially planned. Fortunately for the veteran automaker, Audi has since informed auto publication Electrive that the e-tron actually made it through homologation mid-December.
With the Model 3 successfully passing homologation, Tesla would be able to avoid the delays and difficulties faced by Audi and its first all-electric SUV. Tesla could now focus on the most important matter at hand — delivering the Model 3 to reservation holders and potential buyers in the region.
Day 2- no sign of it slowing down. I estimate 8 trucks an hour arrive, times 9 cars per = 72 cars hr. The whole lot looks less full than yesterday. Probably running 24 hrs. Mostly 3's, more X than S. Some wrapped in film, some not. pic.twitter.com/9HKhJVzwGP
— Whit Fletcher (@whitfletcher) January 18, 2019
Deliveries for the electric sedan are yet to start, but Tesla is already moving full throttle in its European push for the Model 3. In a previous report, Belgian news agency Focus-WTV has noted that the electric sedans will be arriving every week at the port of Zeebrugge, located on the coast of Belgium. To bring the Model 3 to Europe, Tesla is reportedly partnering with transportation firm International Car Operators (ICO), which uses RoRo (roll-on, roll-off) ships capable of loading and unloading cargo quickly.
Tesla is also ramping its Supercharger Network in the region to support the upcoming influx of Model 3 sedans. For now, Tesla is in the process of installing “Model 3 Priority” Superchargers that are equipped with dual charge cables, which feature a Type 2 and CCS plug. To further augment its charging infrastrcuture in Europe, Tesla also plans to retrofit its existing Supercharger stations with CCS plugs to accommodate the Model 3.
Tesla has noted that Europe presents a lucrative opportunity for the Model 3 since the midsize sedan segment in the region is roughly twice as large as that of the United States. If the Model 3 can see as much success in Europe as it did in America, then a good part of Tesla’s international push for the electric sedan could very well be a resounding success.
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Tesla offers awesome Free Supercharging incentive on an unexpected vehicle
In the past, Tesla has used Free Supercharging to incentivize the purchase of its expensive vehicles, like the Model S and Model X. However, those vehicles are leaving the company lineup, and Tesla saw a benefit from applying the incentive to another car.
Tesla is offering an awesome new Free Supercharging incentive on a vehicle that is sort of unexpected.
In the past, Tesla has used Free Supercharging to incentivize the purchase of its expensive vehicles, like the Model S and Model X. However, those vehicles are leaving the company lineup, and Tesla saw a benefit from applying the incentive to another car.
Tesla North America has introduced a compelling new incentive aimed at boosting Model 3 sales. Starting with orders placed on or after April 24, buyers of the Model 3 Premium (Long Range) and Performance variants in the United States will receive one full year of complimentary Supercharging.
The offer applies exclusively to new vehicle orders and does not extend to existing owners or other trims like the base Rear-Wheel Drive model.
New orders of Model 3 Premium & Performance now come with 1 year of free Supercharging 🇺🇸
Also, all Teslas pay the lowest Supercharging rates – all others pay a ~40% premium or need a subscription
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) April 24, 2026
The announcement underscores Tesla’s continued dominance in EV charging infrastructure.
While the incentive provides 12 months of zero-cost access to the Supercharger network, Tesla also reiterated its pricing structure: all Tesla vehicles receive the lowest Supercharging rates.
Non-Tesla EVs, by contrast, pay approximately 40 percent more per kWh or must purchase a subscription to access the network at standard rates. This tiered approach highlights the strategic value of owning a Tesla, where seamless integration with the world’s largest and most reliable fast-charging network remains a key differentiator.
For prospective buyers, the savings can be substantial. Depending on driving habits, a typical Model 3 owner might log 12,000–15,000 miles annually.
With average Supercharging costs around $0.40–$0.50 per kWh, one year of free sessions could translate to $800–$1,200 in avoided expenses.
That effectively lowers the total cost of ownership and makes long-distance travel more affordable from day one. Early delivery customers have already noted similar past incentives, with one Cybertruck owner reporting over $2,400 saved in just six months under similar offers that Tesla has deployed in the past.
The timing of the offer appears strategic. Tesla faces growing competition from other automakers expanding their own charging networks and offering aggressive EV incentives.
By bundling free Supercharging rather than discounting the vehicle’s MSRP, Tesla preserves perceived value while directly addressing one of the biggest barriers for new EV adopters: charging costs and convenience.
The move also encourages higher-mileage use of the network, generating valuable real-world data for Tesla’s autonomous driving development.
Why Tesla would apply this incentive to the Model 3 is pretty interesting. It usually is a pretty good incentive to move units out the door, so there’s some speculation whether Tesla is planning to launch new upgrades to the mass-market sedan in the coming months, and the company wants to move what will be outdated units from its inventory.
However, there is also just the idea that Tesla could be attempting to stimulate some early quarter demand for the Model 3, especially as the Model Y continues to sell very well. Tesla’s loss of the $7,500 EV tax credit last year had an impact on sales, and Tesla might be testing some formidable options to see if it can add some demand once again.
Elon Musk
Tesla confirmed HW3 can’t do Unsupervised FSD but there’s more to the story
Tesla confirmed HW3 vehicles cannot run unsupervised FSD, replacing its free upgrade promise with a discounted trade-in.
Tesla has officially confirmed that early vehicles with its Autopilot Hardware 3 (HW3) will not be capable of unsupervised Full Self-Driving, while extending a path forward for legacy owners through a discounted trade-in program. The announcement came by way of Elon Musk in today’s Tesla Q1 2026 earnings call.
🚨 Our LIVE updates on the Tesla Earnings Call will take place here in a thread 🧵
Follow along below: pic.twitter.com/hzJeBitzJU
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) April 22, 2026
The history here matters. HW3 launched in April 2019, and Tesla sold Full Self-Driving packages to owners on the understanding that the hardware was sufficient for full autonomy. Some owners paid between $8,000 and $15,000 for FSD during that period. For years, as FSD’s AI models grew more demanding, HW3 vehicles fell progressively further behind, eventually landing on FSD v12.6 in January 2025 while AI4 vehicles moved to v13 and then v14. When Musk acknowledged in January 2025 that HW3 simply could not reach unsupervised operation, and alluded to a difficult hardware retrofit.
The near-term offering is more concrete. Tesla’s head of Autopilot Ashok Elluswamy confirmed on today’s call that a V14-lite will be coming to HW3 vehicles in late June, bringing all the V14 features currently running on AI4 hardware. That is a meaningful software update for owners who have been frozen at v12.6 for over a year, and it represents genuine effort to keep older hardware relevant. Unsupervised FSD for vehicles is now targeted for Q4 2026 at the earliest, with Musk describing it as a gradual, geography-limited rollout.
For HW3 owners, the over-the-air V14-lite update is welcomed, and the discounted trade-in path at least acknowledges an old obligation. What happens next with the trade-in pricing will define how this chapter ultimately gets written. If Tesla prices the hardware path fairly, acknowledges what early adopters are owed, and delivers V14-lite on the June timeline it committed to today, it has a real opportunity to convert one of the longest-running sore subjects among early adopters into a loyalty story.
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Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, coding shows
According to coding found in the European and Chinese configurators, Tesla is planning to make two big upgrades: Black Headliner offerings and a new 16-inch QHD display, similar to that on the Model Y Performance.
Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, one of which is widely requested by owners and fans, and another that it has already started to make on some trim levels of other models within the lineup.
The changes appear to be taking effect in the European and Chinese markets, but these are expected to come to the United States based on what Tesla has done with the Model Y.
According to coding found in the European and Chinese configurators, Tesla is planning to make two big upgrades: Black Headliner offerings and a new 16-inch QHD display, similar to that on the Model Y Performance.
These changes in the coding were spotted by X user BERKANT, who shared the findings on the social media platform this morning:
🚨 Model 3 changes spotted in Tesla backend
• New interior code: IN3PB (Interior 3 Premium Black)
• Linked to Alcantara-style black headliner
• Mapped to 2026 Model 3 Performance and Premium VINs• EPC now shows: “Display_16_QHD”
• Multiple 2026 builds marked with… pic.twitter.com/OkDM5EdbTu— BERKANT (@Tesla_NL_TR) February 23, 2026
It appears these new upgrades will roll out with the Model 3 Performance and Tesla’s Premium trim levels of the all-electric sedan.
The changes are welcome. Tesla fans have been requesting that its Model 3 and Model Y offerings receive a black headliner, as even with the black interior options, the headliner is grey.
Tesla recently upgraded Model Y vehicles to this black headliner option, even in the United States, so it seems as if the Model 3 will get the same treatment as it appears to be getting in the Eastern hemisphere.
Tesla has been basically accentuating the Model 3 and Model Y with small upgrades that owners have been wanting, and it has been a focal point of the company’s future plans as it phases out other vehicles like the Model S and Model X.
Additionally, Tesla offered an excellent 0.99% APR last week on the Model 3, hoping to push more units out the door to support a strong Q1 delivery figure at the beginning of April.
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