Tesla Pushes European Model 3 Performance Deliveries Into 2024, Highland Reveal Imminent?

After that photo of the next-gen Model 3 codenamed "Project Highland" appeared all over the Internet, Tesla investors and fans rushed to analyze every pixel and offer their opinions. It certainly marks a significant change design-wise, but the leak was not that inviting. It didn't show very much.

However, it certainly did its job. The debates about Tesla's way forward helped the now-Texas-based brand remain on the public agenda. For others, that can cost a pretty penny. For Model 3's maker, it was free.

Most people are eagerly awaiting to see what has been under wraps for so long. They're also anxious to discover if the company will continue its hegemony in the EV space. Besides being an automaker, Tesla is one of the world's most well-known companies. As such, it has many investors watching it closely.

Last month, we told you that Tesla was moving fast in China. Insider reports claimed that one of the two Giga Shanghai car production lines was in the final stages of getting ready for the all-new Model 3. The news came right after someone else leaked the production of the updated sedan in limited numbers. That signaled the popular EV maker was ready to show off the brand-new car at various events in its most important markets.

But now, there's another indication that the Model 3 will be replaced by a successor soon: Europeans who place an order today have to wait four or six months for one. That's unusual but not weird.

Over the pond, Americans and Canadians have just weeks or a month tops to be on standby for their new EV, no matter the preferred version. And that's taking place despite the Fremont plant (where many 3s and Ys are manufactured) being put on hold for a while. Presumably, it happened for the same reason as in China.

We looked at what's going on in some of Tesla's most important European markets concerning Model 3 waiting times, and we discovered that in Norway, Germany, Spain, France, Poland, and Italy, customers are given the following timeframes:

• October-November for the RWD and Long Range units;
• November-January 2024 for the Performance.

The sole exception to this new wait time change is the United Kingdom. The British are in the same boat as Americans and Canadians in this respect.

European Model Y buyers don't have to wait as long as the Model 3 customers, which is yet another sign that something is going to happen soon with the sedan. Or, the shorter delivery window may be due to Giga Berlin making Model X's smaller brother.

But some people thought that Project Highland's design cues would also extend to the crossover SUV. While that's not far-fetched because the vehicles share the same platform and a bunch of components, the Model Y currently enjoys too much attention to just be abruptly reworked. After all, it is the world's best-selling car in 2023 so far.

For now, the company is still accepting orders for the current-gen Model 3. However, the brand will work out a solution if the new unit arrives before the factory can roll out the customer's desired car.

When the Model S was refreshed two years ago for the Australian market, buyers stuck in queue for the previous-gen unit were invited and incentivized to wait longer for the new Model S to arrive or were given the "free" option of a downgrade.

Lastly, if you are interested in a brand-new Model 3 with Tesla's latest design choices, interior changes, and hardware updates, it might not be long before you can place an order.

It remains to be seen if "Project Highland" will become the next best thing in the EV world.