Tesla has made several notable design changes to the Model 3 Highland. However, one of the lesser-known features is the inclusion of latches for opening the rear doors in emergencies.
These latches are situated in the storage pockets, similar to the manual front door release handles. The rear latches are covered by plastic tabs.
The user manual provides instructions for manually opening a rear door in the rare situation where the Model 3 has no power.
First, drivers must pry off the plastic cover from the bottom of the rear door pocket. Then, they must pull the mechanical release cable forward. After this, the door will open.
The Model 3 Highland will be the first Model 3 to have a manual rear door emergency release. Existing Model 3s only have manual emergency releases on the front doors.
The news that the Model 3 Highland will feature a manual emergency release will be pleasing to safety activists. Earlier in September, a mother and daughter from Illinois were trapped inside a rental Tesla because they didn’t know how to manually open the doors. A similar incident occurred in Arizona in July.
The manual rear door emergency release will be particularly beneficial for child safety.
Tesla Model 3 Highland Has Easily Accessible Emergency Releases Even for Rear Doors $TSLA
Tesla has an interesting history regarding safety features inside its vehicles. One particularly contentious feature was the manual door release since the doors are electrically powered.… pic.twitter.com/lGKsHQPJz7
— Pablo999 🔋⚡ (@pablo9948967714) September 8, 2023
Other Model 3 Highland news
Although the Model 3 Highland will be safer than its predecessors, many questions remain about its pricing. Tesla has yet to leverage certain cost-saving methods in producing the Highland facelift.
A recently released teaser image indicates that the Model 3 Highland doesn’t appear to incorporate “gigacast” halves like the Model Y or Cybertruck.
A giga press refers to a machine that applies high pressure to inject molten aluminum into casting molds. The giga press dramatically simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing Tesla to make cars from two or three large castings instead of 70 parts. The simpler assembly leads to lower prices for consumers.
According to NotebookCheck, it remains uncertain whether the large gigacasting presses will be used for Model 3 Highland production in the Fremont factory upon its release in early 2024.
Lowering the production cost could result in the American-made Model 3 Highland having a larger price difference from its predecessor than what it currently possesses in China or Europe.
Image Source: Pablo999, https://shorturl.at/bEV19
