The Tesla Model 3 Highland has gained a new variant in Malaysia called the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, which slots in between the existing Rear-Wheel Drive and Long Range All-Wheel Drive.
Priced at RM185,000, the new LR RWD is RM16,000 more than the RWD that is now cheaper than before (RM169,000; previously RM181,000). Meanwhile, the LR AWD is now RM199,000 (previously RM210k), meaning the step up from the new variant is RM14,000.
For the money, you’re getting a variant of the Model 3 Highland with the most range at 750 km following the WLTP standard. For context, the base RWD offers 520 km, while it is 660 km for the LR AWD and 571 km for the Performance All-Wheel Drive.
The LR RWD also gets a more powerful electric motor compared to the RWD, as its 0-100 km/h time of 5.2 seconds is quicker than the latter that needs 6.1 seconds – both share the same top speed of 201 km/h. The new variant also has a higher DC fast charging rate of 250 kW compared to 170 kW for the RWD.
Tesla doesn’t explicitly publish battery capacities and power outputs on its website, but these figures are pretty much identical to the LR RWD that was launched in China in August this year – our cars come from Gigafactory Shanghai.
According to Chinese media outlets, the LR RWD is equipped with an LG-sourced nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery with 78.4 kWh of capacity, which is an improvement over the RWD’s CATL-sourced 62.5-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. This is paired with a more powerful electric motor on the rear axle rated at 306 PS (302 hp or 225 kW), more than the RWD that packs 264 PS (260 hp or 194 kW).
China’s LR RWD is quoted as having a range of 830 km, although this is following the country’s generous CLTC standard. Germany also has a LR RWD variant of the Model 3, but its WLTP-rated range is 702 km.
As with other variants of the Model 3, the LR RWD comes in Stealth Grey by default following a prior update for the electric vehicle (EV) in July this year. An extra RM5,000 unlocks Pearl White Multi-Coat, Deep Blue Metallic and Diamond Black, while Quicksilver and Ultra Red are RM11,000 options.
Other cost options include a black and white interior for RM5,000 (default is black), while the 18-inch Photon wheels can be swapped out for larger 19-inch Nova units, although this bumps the max range down to 691 km. Next comes the Autopilot packages if you want to upgrade from the basic system, with Enhance Autopilot costing an additional RM16,000, or RM32,000 for Full Self-Driving Capability.
The LR RWD also debuts with a new forward-facing bumper camera that is part of the Tesla Vision hardware suite. This is welcomed following Tesla’s decision to remove ultrasonic sensors from the Model 3 in 2022 and should help address a visibility gap when parking. Other changes include the return of signal stalk and the Tesla logo on the bonnet is now discreet and finished in black. These revisions also apply to the other variants in the line-up.
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