Tesla has upgraded the Model 3 in China with a 16-inch center touchscreen, a new light gray premium interior, and vehicle-to-load (V2L) power export across the entire Model 3 and Model Y lineup. The company announced the changes on October 1, noting the display has higher resolution and refresh rate, though it did not provide specific figures. The V2L feature delivers up to 2,200 W of AC power, with Tesla suggesting it can run camping appliances like a rice cooker, hot pot, and electric kettle simultaneously. Most owners will need to buy a separate adapter, except for the three-row Model Y L.
The upgrades come with a fresh round of Chinese incentives, including a 5,000 yuan ($740) final-payment discount, 0% financing for five years, an 8,000 yuan insurance subsidy on select trims, and an 8,000 yuan paint credit. Tesla advertises the Model 3 from 222,500 yuan ($33,000) after discounts, though the list price remains unchanged at 235,500 yuan. That still undercuts rivals like BYD's new Formula S, which starts at 189,900 yuan, highlighting the intense competition Tesla faces in China.
Meanwhile, the US Model 3 remains behind. It still has a 15.4-inch display, and Tesla's US vehicle-to-load feature—launched in August—excludes the Model 3 entirely, limited instead to the Model Y Premium, Model Y Performance, and Cybertruck at 2.4 kW. This regional split shows Tesla prioritizing the Chinese market for new hardware and features, while the US lineup lags on both screen size and bidirectional power capability.