Tesla Model 3 to Launch Heated Steering Wheel Function in China

Recently, a Chinese netizen took to social media to ask Tao Lin, Vice President of Tesla China: “When will the steering wheel heating function be introduced for the Standard Range Plus of Model 3 in China?” Tao replied that this function will be launched in the near future.

The Tesla Model 3 currently on sale in China has two models: Standard Range Plus and Performance, of which the latter is equipped with the steering wheel heating function as standard. As to the Standard Range Plus, its hardware system also supports this function, but the software system is not activated.

At present, Model 3s sold in the European market are supplied by the Fremont Factory in the United States and the Gigafactory Shanghai in China at the same time. The Model 3 steering wheel hardware produced in Shanghai and Fremont began to support the heating function after January 1, 2021 and March 31, 2021, respectively.

The functions of steering wheel and seat heating are particularly important in electric vehicles as they allow drivers to extend their driving range by reducing the need to heat the whole car.

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In September 2020, Tesla launched the rear seat heating function for Standard Range Plus of Model 3, which can be obtained through OTA upgrade at a cost of 2,400 yuan ($374.82). It is speculated that the price of unlocking the steering wheel heating function of the Model 3 will be between 2,000 and 2,500 yuan ($312.35-390.44).