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John Mahoney18 Jul 2025
NEWS

Tesla Model 3 ultra-long range on way

Model 3+ is expected to come with new NMC battery that could see it cover more than 800km on a charge

Tesla is secretly preparing for the launch of an ultra-long-range version of its 2026 Model 3 sedan that will feature a single e-motor and a larger battery to enable it to cover more than 800km on a single charge.

According to CarNewsChina, Tesla has already applied for a sales license for the new variant tipped to be called the Model 3+, with images of the new battery-powered sedan released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

According to the patent filing, the extra range will be unlocked by a new nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery sourced from LG while the Long Range’s front motor will also be dropped for a more efficient single-motor set-up.

Image source: MIIT
Current Tesla Model 3
Current Tesla Model 3

These key upgrades plus a few other subtler ones are expected to boost the 2026 Tesla Model 3+’s range by more than 170km compared to the current Long Range which can cover up to 629km on a single charge.

There's no word yet if the new ultra-long-range Tesla Model 3+ will be a China-only variant or if the US car-maker plans to export it, but Tesla has historically not tailored its product for any one region, suggesting it could one day be available in Australia.

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