The newly upgraded Tesla Model 3 is probably the most talked about electric vehicle (EV) in the past week and orders are already open for the Malaysian market. One of the controversial new features of the Model 3 ‘Highland’ is the lack of physical stalk controls for signal indicators and drive selectors.
Tesla is really taking its minimalist approach to a whole new level with the latest update. Need to indicate left or right, you’ll have to push buttons on the steering wheel. Want to switch between Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive? You’ll have to swipe on the touch screen.
But what if the large touchscreen malfunctions while driving? Well, Tesla has added a backup similar to the manual lever for the front doors if the one-touch unlock button fails to work.
On the updated Model S with the yoke steering wheel, Tesla has added dedicated P-R-N-D buttons on the centre console right below the dual wireless charging pad. However, these buttons are not present on the newly upgraded Tesla Model 3. If you’re wondering how to change your drive selector if the screen is faulty or not responding to your input, well, you’ve got to look up.
As shown in a 60-second promo video posted on Tesla’s official Weibo account, the physical drive selector buttons are located on the roof between the two sunshades. This is also the same spot where the hazard light button is located. The Parking and Reverse buttons are placed on the left of the hazard light button and the Neutral and Drive buttons are placed to the right.
The placement doesn’t seem to be practical as it isn’t obvious for first-timers (us included) to figure out even where the hazard light button is located. Some might argue that these buttons only serve as a backup but we reckon that some people would have forgotten about this “hidden” feature if they do come across the rare situation of the screen not working.
While Tesla never officially mentions technical performance figures, the same video also revealed that the Tesla Model 3 boasts 331kW (443hp) and 559Nm of torque. However, these figures are only for the Tesla Model 3 Long Range which has a twin-motor setup. On the Tesla official website, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range model can do 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds while the cheaper base model with a single motor does 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds. Both models have a top speed of 201km/h.
To recap, the upgraded Tesla Model 3 ‘Highland’ gets a redesign for the front and rear, while boasting greater efficiency with up to 629km of range on a single charge. The interior has gotten some notable upgrades including ambient lighting, new seats with ventilation for front passengers and a rear 8″ display which can be used to control the aircon vents.
In Malaysia, the base Model 3 RWD is officially priced at RM189,000 while the Model 3 AWD Long Range model is priced at RM218,000. The Model 3 AWD Long Range is currently Malaysia’s cheapest EV that can offer more than 600km of range on a single charge. These prices exclude applicable admin and registration fees, and you’ll have to add more if you want a different colour, white interior trim and larger 19″ wheels.
The Tesla Model 3 deliveries for Malaysia are expected to start by the end of this year. If you’ve placed your orders for the Tesla Model Y, Tesla Malaysia is letting you switch to the Model 3 without losing your non-refundable RM1,000 booking fee.
Related reading
- Tesla Model 3 Highland: Revised design, up to 629km range, priced from RM189k in Malaysia
- Tesla Model 3 Highland Malaysia: Here’s the official pricing and add-on options
- Booked the Model Y? Tesla Malaysia lets you switch to Model 3 Highland without losing RM1,000 booking fee
- Tesla Model 3 Highland is now the cheapest EV in Malaysia with over 600km range
