Tesla China announced new updates for its electric vehicles in the Chinese market, including a larger central screen for the Model 3 and the availability of vehicle-to-load (V2L) power output across the entire Model 3 and Model Y lineup offered there. By contrast, the Model 3 in the United States did not receive these changes.
Larger Screen and a New Interior Option
All current Model 3 trims in China are now equipped with a 16-inch central touchscreen, compared with 15.4 inches previously. Tesla says the new screen offers higher resolution and a higher refresh rate, but it has not published figures for either improvement.
The company also made available an option for a light-gray interior, with a black fabric headliner. This resembles an update Tesla previously introduced in the United States for the Model Y Premium during January, when it added a 16-inch screen and a black headliner.
Power Output of Up to 2.2 Kilowatts
The most significant functional change is the activation of AC power output of up to 2,200 watts for all Model 3 and Model Y vehicles currently offered in China. Tesla gives an example involving the simultaneous operation of a 600-watt rice cooker, a 1-kilowatt electric cooking pot, and a 600-watt electric kettle.
Using the feature requires purchasing Tesla’s AC power output adapter, except for the three-row Model Y L, which does not require this adapter.
Price Incentives Without a Reduction in the Base Price
The updates came with a new incentive package. Orders placed for the Model 3 by October 31 receive a discount of 5,000 Chinese yuan, or about $740, from the final payment. Tesla combines this discount with five-year zero-interest financing, beginning with a down payment of 79,900 yuan and a monthly payment of approximately 2,377 yuan, in addition to insurance support worth 8,000 yuan for the RWD, Long Range RWD, and Long Range AWD trims, a paint credit of the same value, and a choice of three charging-related benefits.
The company advertises a starting price of 222,500 yuan, or about $33,000, but the base price has not changed; the RWD trim still starts at 235,500 yuan. Therefore, the advertised price is based on calculating the discount and insurance support. Even after the incentives, the price remains higher than the new BYD Formula S, whose RWD trim starts at 189,900 yuan.
What Does the Difference in Equipment Between China and the United States Mean?
This move shows that Tesla is giving the Chinese market functional updates and additional equipment that are not currently available in the American Model 3. In the United States, the Model 3 starts at $36,990, and the official specifications page lists a 15.4-inch screen.
As for the V2L feature that Tesla launched in the United States during August, it was limited there to the Model Y Premium, Model Y Performance, and Cybertruck, with a capacity of 2.4 kilowatts and through an $80 adapter for the Gen 3 Mobile Connector. It did not include any U.S. Model 3 trim, while it became available for all Model 3 vehicles in China according to the announcement referenced.
The comparison also reveals that the announcement is not merely a cosmetic improvement; power output adds a practical use for the vehicle as a mobile electricity source, but using it in China is linked to purchasing the adapter, and Tesla also has not clarified the screen’s resolution and refresh-rate figures.