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Model 3 year over year changelog

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BrianZ

Member
Supporting Member
May 30, 2018
170
1,381
California
Is there a changelog for all the hardware changes in the Model 3 over the years? I can't seem to find one. I made my own, but I haven't gotten everything for the Highland refresh. If we don't, we as a community should make a list of all changes that has happened, along with a list of references if possible.

*Important: Tesla makes running changes throughout the year, so a 2019 car may not have everything under the 2019 list of changes depending on the month you got it. If the time of change is known, it'll be added. Otherwise, it's unknown what month the change happened.

2018:
  • Removed alcantara headliners (Jan 2018)
  • Updated control arm design

2019:
  • HW3, 20x faster NPU (after April 2019)
  • 5% power increase (software update, older cars got it too)
  • Added pedestrian speaker (happened some time between Apr - Sep 2019)
  • Homelink removed (June 2019)
  • Removed auto dimming mirrors
  • Basic Autopilot became a standard feature rather than $3000
  • Updated frunk design without hooks
2020: (these are all changes after around Nov 2020 as part of the first Model 3 refresh)
  • ~9% larger battery (75kWh to 82kWh)
  • heat pump for ~20% more winter range
  • powered trunk
  • front double pane windows
  • Exterior changes: chrome delete, minor wheel design change
  • Small interior changes (metal scroll wheel, new center console, smaller frunk, graphic on door release button)
  • USB C ports
  • Wireless charging
  • Auto dimming mirrors are back
  • Heated radar
  • HW3.2 that upgraded from 100M to Gigabit ethernet between MCU and HW3 (some time in H2 2020)

2021:
  • Updated headlights design (EU only)
  • Updated tail light design
  • heated steering wheel
  • Removed radar (~May 2021)
  • Removed passenger lumbar (~June 2021)
  • Noticeably quieter interior
  • Updated side camera housing to fix purple flicker
  • SR+ switched to LFP battery, 0-60 slowed from 5.3 to 5.8 second from extra weight, but much longer lifespan)
  • LR switched to a smaller 79kWh battery instead of 82kWh

2022:
Changes in the beginning of 2022
  • Ryzen processor (5x faster CPU, 10x faster iGPU, 16GB RAM (4x), 256GB SSD (4x))
  • Updated motors with 10% more HP and torque (unknown if Tesla actually made use of this)
  • Lithium ion 12V battery
  • Heated windshield wipers
Miscellaneous
  • Matrix LED headlights (M3P and Y only)
  • Mobile connector no longer included (May 2022)
  • Removed ultrasonic sensors (~Oct 2022)

2023: (These are all changes that happened as part of the 2nd Model 3 refresh "Highland", this happens Nov 2023 for EU/Asia cars, Q1 2024 for NA)
  • AP4 cameras with 4x resolution
  • HW4 GPU that's >4x faster
  • AP4 downgraded RAM from 16GB to 8GB, 256GB SSD to 128GB SSD
  • New headrest
  • Removed rear middle heated seats
  • Base Model 3 changed brakes to Hitachi from Brembo
  • Improved suspension comfort with updated springs, dampers, geometry, bushings
  • Double pane acoustic glass on rear windows and rear windshield
  • Upgraded to 17 speakers from 14. There is 2 subwoofers now.
  • Updated front bumper design for 8% efficiency improvement. Cd now 0.219 vs 0.225 before
  • Dedicated fog lights removed and integrated into the main headlight
  • Updated wheel designs for all sizes
  • Updated taillight design
  • Ultra red now available
  • Removed stalks, now buttons added to the wheel
  • Screen size increased from 15" to 15.4" with a smaller screen bezel
  • Added ambient lighting
  • Removed wood panel
  • Ventilated front seats
  • Updated wiper design
  • Redesigned center console, aluminum bits, better materials across
  • More sound insulation material
  • Updated bonnet design to reduce noise
  • Updated tires for lower road noise, but reduced max speed to 125mph from 140mph
  • Updated front control arm to aluminum housing to fix water ingress that causes squeaking
  • Updated air vent design, now can turn off passenger vents
  • Updated Bluetooth chip
  • There is 2 microphones instead of 1, one for each front seat
  • Updated Wi-Fi chip for 2x range
  • Updated cellular modem for better range
  • Added UWB support for better phone key support
  • USB C charging upgraded to 65W
  • Added 8" rear screen
  • Updated rear seats and stitching
  • Repositioned Lower Reflectors to the lower part of the rear bumper
  • Updated Cooling Ducts with larger single inlet
  • New Wheel Hubs and Brake Rotors, up to 20% improvement in front axle responsiveness
  • Cargo volume increased from 23 cu ft to 24 cu ft
  • Extra actuator (1 to 2) on the powered rear trunk
  • Updated interior reinforcement structure for better crash performance and quieter door closing sound
  • Added blind spot indicator lights
 
Last edited:
Updated bonnet design to reduce noise

Your listed location is California, but this is probably the first time I have seen someone from the US refer to the "bonnet". Thats what they call the hood of the car in Europe, but in the US we call that car part the Hood. Did you create this list or did you copy it from someone else?
 
I have a 2023 Model 3 LR made 08/23 in Fremont. I don’t have blind spot indicators at least that I can see looking at the road.
That "2023" list appears to be copied from somewhere, referring to the highland refresh model 3 (which we do not have yet in the US).
 
Your listed location is California, but this is probably the first time I have seen someone from the US refer to the "bonnet". Thats what they call the hood of the car in Europe, but in the US we call that car part the Hood. Did you create this list or did you copy it from someone else?

Good eye! I created this list. For the 2023 refresh I got roughly half of the changes from the release day Carwow video, and that's where they mentioned "bonnet".
 
A lot of errors there. Many features and changes are listed under the wrong year.

Could you point out the mistakes?

There are some changes that might seem like they're under the wrong year, like the long list of "2021 refresh" changes, but that 2021 refresh started delivery in Q4 2020, so I count that as a change made in 2020.
 
Could you point out the mistakes?

There are some changes that might seem like they're under the wrong year, like the long list of "2021 refresh" changes, but that 2021 refresh started delivery in Q4 2020, so I count that as a change made in 2020.
It would be better to count it as a model year and not calendar year. Because people will see that and be like wait my 2020 doesn’t have X feature or my 2023 doesn’t have Y feature.
 
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One of the problems is that changes happen any time, not just at year changes. I have a 2020 and don't have a heatpump nor power trunk, double-pane windows, USB-C etc... That happened during the 2020 year. Probably the same for most entries in that list.
Those changes were implemented for 2021 model year. Tesla used to “not do” model years but as of lately they have been lining up bigger changes along with model years.
 
Sorry I don't have all the details but there were some changes in the early cars (2018 model year I think) involving a redesign to the rear seats, and change to the control arms due to early failures. Also, in 2019 they stopped making Homelink Standard mid through the year, and stopped including mobile charger NEMA 14-50 adapter as standard. The frunk also changed I think in 2019.

My May 2019 build LR AWD has the original frunk design with the shopping bag hooks, standard Homelink, no pedestrian speaker, HW3 from the factory.
 
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I bought a new 2020 M3LR in September of 2020. Contrary to what you say it doesn't have a heat pump, a powered trunk lid, double pain glass, or chrome delete. All those changes came in at the very end of 2020, so call them 2021 changes. And what do you mean by heated radar? I've never heard of that.
 
Is there a changelog for all the hardware changes in the Model 3 over the years? I can't seem to find one. I made my own, but I haven't gotten everything for the Highland refresh. If we don't, we as a community should make a list of all changes that has happened, along with a list of references if possible.

2019:
  • HW3, 20x faster GPU
  • 5% power increase (software update, older cars got it too)
  • Added pedestrian speaker
  • Removed auto dimming mirrors
  • Basic Autopilot became a standard feature rather than $3000
2020:
  • ~9% larger battery (75kWh to 82kWh)
  • heat pump for ~20% more winter range
  • powered trunk
  • front double pane windows
  • Exterior changes: chrome delete, minor wheel design change
  • Small interior changes (metal scroll wheel, new center console, smaller frunk, graphic on door release button)
  • USB C ports
  • Wireless charging
  • Auto dimming mirrors are back
  • Heated radar

2021:
  • Updated headlights design (EU only)
  • Updated tail light design
  • heated steering wheel
  • Removed radar
  • Removed passenger lumbar
  • Noticeably quieter interior
  • Updated side camera housing to fix purple flicker
  • SR+ switched to LFP battery, 0-60 slowed from 5.3 to 5.8 second from extra weight, but much longer lifespan)
  • LR switched to a smaller 79kWh battery instead of 82kWh
  • HW3.2 that upgraded from 100M to Gigabit ethernet between MCU and HW3

2022:
  • Ryzen processor (5x faster CPU, 10x faster iGPU, 16GB RAM (4x), 256GB SSD (4x))
  • Updated motors with 10% more HP and torque (unknown if Tesla actually made use of this)
  • Lithium ion 12V battery
  • Matrix LED headlights (M3P and Y only)
  • Heated windshield wipers
  • Removed ultrasonic sensors

2023:
  • AP4 cameras with 4x resolution
  • HW4 GPU that's >4x faster
  • AP4 downgraded RAM from 16GB to 8GB, 256GB SSD to 128GB SSD
  • New headrest
  • Removed rear middle heated seats
  • Base Model 3 changed brakes to Hitachi from Brembo
  • Improved suspension comfort with updated springs, dampers, geometry, bushings
  • Double pane acoustic glass on rear windows and rear windshield
  • Upgraded to 17 speakers from 14. There is 2 subwoofers now.
  • Updated front bumper design for 8% efficiency improvement. Cd now 0.219 vs 0.225 before
  • Dedicated fog lights removed and integrated into the main headlight
  • Updated wheel designs for all sizes
  • Updated taillight design
  • Ultra red now available
  • Removed stalks, now buttons added to the wheel
  • Screen size increased from 15" to 15.4" with a smaller screen bezel
  • Added ambient lighting
  • Removed wood panel
  • Ventilated front seats
  • Updated wiper design
  • Redesigned center console, aluminum bits, better materials across
  • More sound insulation material
  • Updated bonnet design to reduce noise
  • Updated tires for lower road noise, but reduced max speed to 125mph from 140mph
  • Updated front control arm to aluminum housing to fix water ingress that causes squeaking
  • Updated air vent design, now can turn off passenger vents
  • Updated Bluetooth chip
  • There is 2 microphones instead of 1, one for each front seat
  • Updated Wi-Fi chip for 2x range
  • Updated cellular modem for better range
  • Added UWB support for better phone key support
  • USB C charging upgraded to 65W
  • Added 8" rear screen
  • Updated rear seats and stitching
  • Repositioned Lower Reflectors to the lower part of the rear bumper
  • Updated Cooling Ducts with larger single inlet
  • New Wheel Hubs and Brake Rotors, up to 20% improvement in front axle responsiveness
  • Cargo volume increased from 23 cu ft to 24 cu ft
  • Extra actuator (1 to 2) on the powered rear trunk
  • Updated interior reinforcement structure for better crash performance and quieter door closing sound
  • Added blind spot indicator lights
 
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Reactions: mpgxsvcd
Due to confusion on timelines (as originally this is a crude list that I made for myself), I added timelines on when the changes were made to better clarify things. Hopefully this will reduce confusion and make this more usable.
 
Sorry I don't have all the details but there were some changes in the early cars (2018 model year I think) involving a redesign to the rear seats, and change to the control arms due to early failures. Also, in 2019 they stopped making Homelink Standard mid through the year, and stopped including mobile charger NEMA 14-50 adapter as standard. The frunk also changed I think in 2019.

My May 2019 build LR AWD has the original frunk design with the shopping bag hooks, standard Homelink, no pedestrian speaker, HW3 from the factory.

Thanks, I've added those to the list.
 
I don't see on your list .... We have a 2017 Model 3, in the first 5100 made. The seats are terrible, very uncomfortable. I am pretty sure they changed the seats in 2018 or at least by the time the Ys first became available in early 2020. Anyone know? (USA btw)