The Tesla Model 3 Gets A Range Bump And A New Screen In The U.S.

American Model 3s still don’t have vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, despite the feature being introduced in China.

By: Iulian Dnistran

Oct 2, at 9:03am ET

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The U.S.-spec Tesla Model 3 now comes with a better central touchscreen.
The top Performance trim gains a few miles of range and more power.
Vehicle-to-load, which enables energy export from the high-voltage battery, is still not available stateside.

The Tesla Model 3 sold in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico is getting a few improvements, but the four-door electric sedan still doesn’t offer bidirectional charging, despite Tesla adding the functionality overseas.

All U.S.-spec Model 3s, including the base Rear-Wheel Drive trim, come with a larger 16-inch central infotainment touchscreen, which also packs a higher pixel density than the outgoing model’s 15.4-inch display. The company didn’t offer details, but the Model 3’s new screen is probably the same one that made its way into the Model Y crossover a few months ago.

Next up is a slight spec boost for the top-spec Model 3 Performance, which can now deliver 316 miles of range on a full charge, up from 309 miles, and 528 horsepower. When the sporty sedan debuted in 2024, its power output was advertised as 510 hp. Despite the power bump, the zero-to-60 miles per hour sprint is the same as before, at 2.9 seconds. The Model 3 Performance also comes with a black headliner now.

Last but not least, the Model 3 Premium All-Wheel Drive can accelerate quicker than before, with a 3.8-second time for the sprint to 60 mph, down from 4.2 seconds before. The 346-mile estimated range is unchanged.

Tesla didn’t say what changes it made under the car’s skin to achieve the range and performance gains. However, it’s clear that the improvements come without a cost increase. All Model 3 trims cost the same, with prices starting at $38,630 for the base Rear-Wheel Drive, $44,130 for the Premium trim, and $56,630 for the Performance trim.

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The lack of vehicle-to-load (V2L), however, is a little perplexing. The feature was announced yesterday for Model 3s sold in China, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, alongside the same 16-inch screen and black headliner as on the U.S.-spec version. V2L may eventually make it on the American Model 3, but as it stands today, the only Tesla EVs offering it stateside are the Cybertruck, Model Y Premium, Model Y Performance, and Model Y L.

An adapter that plugs into the mobile charger enables owners to export up to 2.4 kilowatts from the car’s charging port to power tools, appliances, or camping equipment directly from the high-voltage battery. It can’t power an entire house during an outage, but it will happily keep a fridge and other essentials powered when the grid goes down.