Tesla upgrades California-made Model 3 with a wireless charging pad, USB-C ports

By Aaron Mamiit Published April 25, 2023

The Tesla Model 3 electric vehicles rolling off the Fremont, California, factory have been upgraded to include a wireless charging pad and USB-C ports.

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The features, which were first introduced in Tesla’s Model Y, were sold as aftermarket upgrades to the Model 3. However, last month, they were added to the standard Model 3 units that were being manufactured in China.

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At the time, Electrek speculated that the Qi wireless phone charger and USB-C ports would be added to the Model 3 vehicles being built at the Fremont plant, which was closed at the time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Electrek confirmed that is indeed the case, reporting that it is a rare customer-facing hardware upgrade for the Model 3, which debuted in 2017.

Tesla is likely looking to boost sales of its vehicles, and additional features for the Model 3 may help with that goal. Digital Trends has reached out to the electric car manufacturer for any other planned upgrades to its various models, and we will update this article when we hear back.

Fremont controversy

Tesla’s factory in Fremont was a site of controversy in May, as CEO Elon Musk decided to restart the facility “against Alameda County rules” and dared authorities to arrest him. Officials had deemed the factory as a nonessential business, which prompted Musk to consider moving the facility to Texas or Nevada.

Tesla also filed a lawsuit against Alameda County for insisting that the factory should not resume operations as it extended a stay-at-home order to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. The lawsuit has since been dropped.

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