The owner of a Tesla Model 3 Performance said that they came to a startling conclusion about their electric vehicle: It was “absolutely obsolete in 4 years.”
What’s happening?
In r/RealTesla — a subreddit founded in 2017 to critically discuss all matters related to Tesla — the poster discussed their disappointment after realizing that the automaker’s technology is evolving beyond what their Model 3 can handle.
“A huge selling point for me when I bought my Performance model 3 about 4 years ago was that everyone talked about how you get upgraded for life. Since then we’ve upgraded to version 13 that my car will never get,” they said, adding, “I won’t be getting the FSD I paid for.”
The OP also took issue with their Model 3’s inability to handle Grok, an AI chatbot developed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s xAI. Earlier this summer, Musk said that Tesla would begin integrating Grok into its EVs. Now, on its website, the automaker says all new Teslas delivered July 12 or later will have Grok. Yet older EVs without AMD processors don’t qualify at this time.
Why is this important?
Known for reviving the concept of EVs for the modern world, Tesla has long set the standard in EV manufacturing and vehicle safety. Because of this, chances are high that it is one of the first brands that comes to mind when someone is considering making their next car an EV. However, Tesla’s volatile start to the year has eroded consumer trust.
Beyond reports of frustrations over unmet expectations — like those shared by the OP — Tesla has touted its supervised FSD (Full Self-Driving) feature as being capable of handling “the most stressful parts of daily driving” with minimal human intervention.
Yet disturbing footage of mishaps involving FSD and other autonomous features (like those in Tesla’s Robotaxi) continues to emerge, raising serious questions about the technology’s safety.
Musk’s polarizing politics and social media behavior have also proved to be a hindrance to the company’s bottom line, contributing to declining sales and fluctuating stock prices.
Given Tesla’s name recognition, if these trends continue, more people could have doubts about transitioning to EVs.
Ultimately, that could set back efforts to protect public health and the planet, as EVs account for significantly less asthma-linked, heat-trapping pollution over time than gas-guzzlers because they don’t have tailpipe pollution.
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What’s being done about this?
While some critics are wary of Tesla given Musk’s history of overpromising and underdelivering, things may not be as dire for the company as they seem.
Despite a stunning drop in sales over the first half of the year, including in key global markets such as Europe and China, Tesla has proved its products have staying power (though a growing number of EV makers are challenging the company for EV market dominance).
For instance, in Norway, Tesla sales soared to a 54% year-over-year increase from June 2024. In the U.S., Teslas accounted for 43% of all EVs sold in Q2, according to Cox Automotive.
As for consumers with older Tesla models, the automaker indicates that Grok may become available to them in the future via over-the-air software updates.
Meanwhile, the OP revealed they intended to keep driving their Model 3.
“I don’t really want to go back to gas or an electric car with worse range or one that’s more expensive. It would just be nice if this one worked as advertised in any way whatsoever,” they said.
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