Tesla Prepares for US Launch of Redesigned Model 3 Highland at Fremont Factory

According to a recent flyover of the Fremont Factory by a famous drone operator, Tesla has a small fleet of the modified "Highland" Model 3.

Tesla's Fremont Factory Houses Small Fleet of Upgraded Model 3s

Tesla began constructing and shipping the new Model 3 in Shanghai last year, and it will be available in various locations, including Europe and the Middle East, by the end of 2023.

There has been a lot of conjecture about when the new Model 3 might arrive in the United States, and we've seen some of it at the Fremont Factory, where the car was first reported to be constructed.

Over the last year and a half, Teslarati followed many Fremont Factory licenses, which offered us some insight into what was going on at the factory in Northern California. According to documents, Tesla was building production lines at the Fremont facility for the arrival of the new Model 3, but it eventually arrived in China before it came here.

Based on photographs acquired by Met God In Wilderness, a drone operator who frequently takes footage and monitors developments at the facility, the publication can now confirm the presence of a small fleet of six Model 3 Highland vehicles outside of the Fremont facility.

The photographs appear to indicate Tesla's preparations for a possible launch of the Model 3 Highland in the United States. We are uncertain whether Tesla will need to get a new Certificate of Conformity for the car based on the alterations made to it.

Tesla's Redesigned Model 3 Awaits EPA Certification

Because the car differs somewhat from previous Model 3 variants, it stands to reason that Tesla will have to send these units to the EPA for testing and re-certification before they can be delivered to customers.

This procedure is typically not too difficult or time-consuming. Previously, Tesla secured EPA certifications and Certificates of Conformity less than a month after delivering the vehicles to the agency for testing.

The updated and improved Model 3 might pique the attention of individuals who currently own the car. We saw something similar when the Model 3 was first upgraded a few years ago, but this is a whole different scenario given Tesla's decision to redesign the vehicle.

Photo: Manny Becerra/Unsplash