Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- 🚗 The refreshed Tesla Model 3 “Highland” has been spotted in the U.S. a few times, even though it’s not yet available to North American customers.
- 📷 A recent sighting occurred at a Supercharger station in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the Model 3 Highland covered at the front end.
- 🔍 The covered vehicle reveals redesigned headlights and ambient lighting along the dashboard, similar to new Model Y units in China.
- 🌎 The Model 3 Highland is being manufactured at Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai and has been launched in various countries globally.
- 🇺🇸 Increased U.S. sightings of the Model 3 Highland may suggest its North American release is approaching, coinciding with the upcoming launch of the Tesla Cybertruck.
The refreshed Tesla Model 3 “Highland” has been spotted in the U.S. a few times since it became available in countries around the world, although it’s not yet available to customers in North America. One onlooker spotted the Model 3 Highland at a Supercharger station in the U.S. over the weekend, this time featuring a covering on the front end of the car.
The Tesla Model 3 Highland was spotted at a Supercharger in Salt Lake City, Utah, as photographed by Felipe Martinin and shared on X (formerly Twitter) by The_EVGuy on Sunday morning. The photos show a person inside the Model 3 Highland as it charges, with the entire front bumper and hood under a covering meant to hide the vehicle’s details.
In the photos, you can see an opening where the redesigned Model 3 headlights are shown, as well as a small glimpse at the ambient lighting that runs the length of the dashboard in the new vehicles. The same ambient lighting has also rolled out to Model Y vehicles in China along with the new Model 3 units.
This Model 3 Highland is likely to have been built at Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai, where the automaker is currently building and shipping out several of the updated sedans. The vehicle has now been launched in countries across Europe and Asia, along with other countries beyond the continents, including Australia and New Zealand. Eventually, Tesla is also expected to produce the Model 3 Highland at its Fremont, California factory in addition to the plant in China.
This is one in a small series of Model 3 Highland sightings in the U.S. throughout this year, most of which have included a covered version of the model. Last week, another Model 3 Highland was seen driving uncovered in California, marking the first time the vehicle had been spotted driving in the country without some kind of cover blocking out the new design details.
It’s not clear as of yet when Tesla plans to launch the Model 3 Highland in North America, though the increase in U.S. sightings lately could indicate the company is getting close. The news also comes as Tesla prepares to launch the Cybertruck in the U.S., with initial deliveries of the unique electric pickup set to take place in the coming months.
