The Tesla Model 3 sedan – currently the electric vehicle specialist’s sole offering in Australia – has had its driving range downrated for two of the three locally-available variants.
While the entry-level single-motor Model 3 retains its 491km WLTP claim, the mid-spec Long Range and flagship Performance models have been reduced from 614km to 602km, and 567km to 547km respectively.
This equates to a decrease of approximately 2.0 per cent in the former, and 3.5 per cent in the latter. No changes have been made to pricing.
It’s unclear if the changes are due to a hardware change, software update, or revisions to the testing cycle.
However – considering the two affected variants share a circa-80kWh battery pack – some have speculated the total capacity has been reduced, indicating real-world driving range will be affected.
A spokesperson for Tesla in Australia did not comment when approached for further information by Drive.
While delivery times fell to just “one to three weeks” in October last year, new delays in 2022 have blown wait times out to between “five and seven months.”
This means a Tesla Model 3 ordered today would likely arrive between July and September 2022, assuming no further setbacks.
While all can be preordered online, there is currently no timeline for local deliveries of the Model S sedan, Model X SUV, Model Y SUV, Cybertruck pick-up, or Roadster sports car.
Keyword: Tesla Model 3 driving range reduced for Australia