Tesla increases the Model 3 range on a charge as it changes the tire brand

The 2026 Model Y Juniper facelift comes with a 5% range increase, thanks largely to its improved aerodynamics and power efficiency rather than some battery capacity bump.

With the Model 3, however, Tesla has now shown that it can provide a similar positive change in the range covered on a charge even for existing vehicles.

Tesla just increased the range of its cheapest Model 3 Long Range RWD to 343 miles from 322 miles it listed for it before the bump.

A similar range boost has been notched with the Model 3 Long Range AWD version, too, which went from 316 miles to 332 mile on a charge.

The 6.5% range increase of the base Model 3 alone is more than the bump that new Model Y Juniper owners would get compared to the old one. Just as with the Juniper refresh, though, this could only have been achieved by a decrease in the Model 3 power consumption rate, as the battery size has stayed the same.

Indeed, the new and improved Model 3 range that Tesla lists is only when the sedan is equipped with the 19-inch Nova Wheels set. Moreover, the range specs now state just "estimate" instead of "EPA estimate," meaning that the new numbers are according to Tesla's own internal testing routine.

It is typically more rigorous than the EPA standard, so the range number could be increased further if Tesla gets the official EPA estimates as has happened many times before, including with the new Model Y Juniper that Tesla pegged as good for 320 miles on a charge, while the EPA estimate returned 327 miles.

As to what prompted this sudden range increase for an existing vehicle, it might simply be the recent change of the Continental tires on the Model 3 to a new Goodyear Eagle Sport set that might be offering lower rolling resistance.

When Tesla made the EPA range estimate of the Model Y Juniper refresh official, its chief engineer praised the "most efficient tires" it has ever placed in a Tesla for their low rolling resistance, so it might have done something similar with the Model 3 tires.

In any case, Model 3 buyers should now be able to eke out about 20 more miles out of their car before they have to plug it in.

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