The Tesla Model 3 remains the most successful electric car of all time. It’s difficult to find reasonable faults with it. However, the design of all Tesla vehicles is always outdated compared to normal automakers, which launch all-new generations or mid-life refreshes quite often.
Tesla treats its cars like products, so during its decade-long history, there’s never been an all-new version of any model they offer. Fundamentally, the Model S made today is quite different from its predecessors, from the motors to the interior and the battery system.
Does anybody still remember the earliest Model S 60 with a 60 kWh battery and only 362 horsepower? The plaid would eat it for breakfast. However, you’d barely notice if you were just looking for design changes. The closest thing to a new generation of an existing Tesla came in April 2016, the so-called facelift, where they removed the black nose cone and installed a body-colored bumper without any grille.
That new-age Tesla look was quickly adopted by the Model 3, which came out in mid-2017. It became an absolute revolution. Not only did it have a Long Range setup capable of 358 miles between charges, but the Performance version could compete with German compact sports sedans like the BMW M3.
YouTube artist/car designer TheSketchMonkey has previously owned a Model 3 and just bought his second one. Which got him thinking about how the 5-year-old design could be improved, and that became the subject of his latest video.
To him, Teslas are designed to be timeless and borrow the best design elements from the automotive industry. The simple shoulder lines over the wheels give the impression of a muscular body, and only the front and rear fascias need to be changed from time to time. Where the company went really wild is with the Cybertruck, bringing a controversial look to America’s most popular vehicle segment.
Will Tesla ever launch an all-new Model 3?
Thus, you’re not going to see Cybertruck levels of creativity in this rendering video, which just does a “careful redesigning” of the most successful electric vehicle ever made. The rear end gets targeted and borrows styling elements from the Roadster. While this sports vehicle isn’t ready yet, it undoubtedly leads the way for future Tesla design.
The Roadster’s narrower taillights are added and do several things to the Model 3. Firstly, they modernize the design because the LED strips are much narrower and thus more expensive-looking. Also, a sportier look is created through the introduction of a pronounced trunk spoiler, which is accompanied by that diffuser at the bottom of the black bumper.
Keep in mind that Tesla makes constant updates to its cars without introducing all-new sheet metal. A good example of this is the over-the-air software updates, which can even make models faster in some cases. However, competition from other automakers is getting tough, and it might be wise to offer an all-new Model 3 down the line.
This may happen after the company is finished with all its major plans, which include the new factories and the famously delayed Cybertruck. This story also includes a front redesign of the Model 3 done by the same artist in May 2021.
