In November last year, reports surfaced suggesting that Tesla was working on a Model 3 refresh under the codename “Project Highland.” The vehicle was anticipated to undergo several updates, from its infotainment system to its exterior and its powertrain. Production of the Tesla Model 3 Project Highland units is expected to commence in Q3 2023.
Over the subsequent months, EV enthusiasts in the United States reported sightings of Project Highland units. In every instance, however, the front and rear ends of the Model 3 Project Highland vehicles were concealed. This pattern persisted for all sightings of the forthcoming model, at least until recently.
An image posted on the r/TeslaMotors subreddit allegedly offers a first glimpse of a Tesla Model 3 Project Highland unit. Although the vehicle in the photo remained partially covered, its visible portions already showcased several noteworthy changes compared to the current Model 3. Unsurprisingly, the photo has piqued the interest of the EV community.
Model 3 Refresh
by u/ffiarpg in teslamotors
Immediately noticeable about the alleged Project Highland Model 3 was its headlights, which appear to be inspired by the next-generation Tesla Roadster and the Model S. The sleeker headlights provide the car a more aggressive and sportier aesthetic compared to the Model 3’s current iteration.
Another striking feature in the leaked image is the absence of fog lights on the vehicle. This is intriguing, given that fog lights are a common fixture in today’s cars. However, some luxury automakers such as Audi, Cadillac, and Mercedes-Benz have omitted fog lights from their vehicles over the years. In a 2017 comment to the New York Times, Michael Larsen, a technical fellow at GM, explained that the Cadillac CT6’s lack of fog lights was inconsequential since its advanced headlights already perform the functions of fog lamps.
The leaked image of the alleged Model 3 Project Highland unit also hints at changes to the vehicle’s bumper, which now seems designed for easy replacement if damaged. The center display, at least based on the leaked photo, appears to be slightly angled towards the driver as well. This would make it easier for drivers to view information on the vehicle’s infotainment system.
-->It is unclear whether the leaked image truly depicts a Model 3 Project Highland unit. However, skeptics have pointed out that the presence of bugs in the front bumper of the vehicle was strange since Project Highland vehicles always have always been spotted with a protective covering on their front ends. Others have pointed out that the vehicle’s A-pillar appears somewhat “off.”
Despite these reservations, Tesla software tracking service Teslascope noted that the leaked image is likely accurate. The Tesla software tracker shared a screenshot of a conversation it allegedly had with a Tesla employee in February, in which the employee mentioned that Project Highland would introduce a new headlight style that is “more Vette, less Porsche.” That’s a pretty accurate description of the headlights in the leaked Project Highland photo.
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Tesla Giga Berlin is still ramping production to meet Model Y demand: plant manager
Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand.
Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand. While registrations in some countries such as Sweden have fallen sharply this year, the company’s sales in other key territories have been rising.
Giga Berlin shifts to two shifts
Giga Berlin factory manager André Thierig told the DPA that the facility has been running two shifts since September to manage a surge in global orders. And due to the tariff dispute with the United States, vehicles that are produced at Giga Berlin are now being exported to Canada.
“We deliver to well over 30 markets and definitely see a positive trend there,” Thierig said.
Despite Giga Berlin now having two shifts, the facility’s production still needs to ramp up more. This is partly due to the addition of the Tesla Model Y Performance and Standard, which are also being produced in the Grunheide-based factory. Interestingly enough, Giga Berlin still only produces the Model Y, unlike other factories like Gigafactory Texas, the Fremont Factory, and Gigafactory Shanghai, which produce more than one type of vehicle.
Norway’s momentum
Norway, facing an imminent tax increase on cars, has seen a historic spike in Tesla purchases as buyers rush to secure deliveries before the change takes effect, as noted in a CarUp report. As per recent reports, Tesla has broken Norway’s all-time annual sales record this month, beating Volkswagen’s record that has stood since 2016.
-->What is rather remarkable is the fact that Tesla was able to achieve so much in Norway with one hand practically tied behind its back. This is because the company’s biggest sales draw, FSD, remains unavailable in the country. Fortunately, Tesla is currently hard at work attempting to get FSD approved for Europe, a notable milestone that should spur even more vehicle sales in the region.
Tesla is launching a crazy Full Self-Driving free trial, which will enable owners who have not purchased the suite outright to try it for 30 days.
There are a handful of stipulations that will be needed in order for you to qualify for the free trial, which was announced on Thursday night.
Tesla said the trial is for v14, the company’s latest version of the Full Self-Driving suite, and will be available to new and existing Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and Cybertruck owners, who will have the opportunity to try the latest features, including Speed Profiles, Arrival Options, and other new upgrades.
🚨 Tesla is launching a free 30-day trial of Full Self-Driving in North America for owners.
It includes every model, but you need v14.2 or later, and you cannot have already purchased the suite outright. https://t.co/8CNmxxOkVl
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 27, 2025
You must own one of the five Tesla models, have Full Self-Driving v14.2 or later, and have an eligible vehicle in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, or Canada.
The company said it is a non-transferable trial, which is not redeemable for cash. Tesla is reaching out to owners via email to give them the opportunity to enable the Full Self-Driving trial.
Those who are subscribed to the monthly Full Self-Driving program are eligible, so they will essentially get a free month of the suite.
Once it is installed, the trial will begin, and the 30-day countdown will begin.
Tesla is making a major push to increase its Full Self-Driving take rate, as it revealed that about 12 percent of owners are users of the program during its recent earnings call.
Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja said during the call:
“We feel that as people experience the supervised FSD at scale, demand for our vehicles, like Elon said, would increase significantly. On the FSD adoption front, we’ve continued to see decent progress. However, note that the total paid FSD customer base is still small, around 12% of our current fleet.”
Earlier today, we reported on Tesla also launching a small-scale advertising campaign on X for the Full Self-Driving suite, hoping to increase adoption.
Tesla Full Self-Driving warrants huge switch-up on essential company strategy
It appears most people are pretty content with the subscription program. It costs just $99 a month, in comparison to the $8,000 fee it is for the outright purchase.
Tesla Full Self-Driving has warranted a huge switch-up on an essential company strategy as the automaker is hoping to increase the take rate of the ADAS suite.
Unlike other automotive companies, Tesla has long been an outlier, as it has famously ditched a traditional advertising strategy in favor of organic buzz, natural word-of-mouth through its production innovation, and utilizing CEO Elon Musk’s huge social media presence to push its products.
Tesla has taken the money that it would normally spend on advertising and utilized it for R&D purposes. For a long time, it yielded great results, and ironically, Tesla saw benefits from other EV makers running ads.
Tesla counters jab at lack of advertising with perfect response
However, in recent years, Tesla has decided to adjust this strategy, showing a need to expand beyond its core enthusiast base, which is large, but does not span over millions and millions as it would need to fend off global EV competitors, which have become more well-rounded and a better threat to the company.
In 2024 and 2025, Tesla started utilizing ads to spread knowledge about its products. This is continuing, as Full Self-Driving ads are now being spotted on social media platforms, most notably, X, which is owned by Musk:
NEWS: Tesla is running paid advertisements on X about FSD (Supervised). Here’s an ad they started running yesterday: pic.twitter.com/IHVywLMyTd
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) November 25, 2025
Interestingly, Tesla’s strategy on FSD advertising is present in Musk’s new compensation package, as the eleventh tranche describes a goal of achieving 10 million active paid FSD subscriptions.
Full Self-Driving is truly Tesla’s primary focus moving forward, although it could be argued that it also has a special type of dedication toward its Optimus robot project. However, FSD will ultimately become the basis for the Robotaxi, which will enable autonomous ride-sharing across the globe as it is permitted in more locations.
Tesla has been adjusting its advertising strategy over the past couple of years, and it seems it is focused on more ways to spread awareness about its products. It will be interesting to see if the company will expand its spending even further, as it has yet to put on a commercial during live television.
We wouldn’t put it out of the question, at least not yet.
Tesla Giga Berlin is still ramping production to meet Model Y demand: plant manager
Tesla launches crazy Full Self-Driving free trial: here’s how you can get it
