I'm pretty sure that the updated range doesn't apply to the 2019 and older Model 3s. But I guess we will see.
Yesterday Elon eluded to the fact that the current range is longer than they say for the Model S&X, and that the changes were put into production a couple months ago but they haven't updated the EPA certification yet. I assume they made the same/similar changes to the Model 3 about the same time.
I think the concept of EPA certification is so technical and so removed from reality that I am not sure it can mean very much to those of us looking to figure out what range we can expect under a variety of conditions.
As someone who, until a couple of months ago, was EV naive and Tesla ignorant - I somehow thought that the EPA numbers were close to reality!.
Boy was I a dumb sh1t! I thought my order of a LR AWD had a "real" 310 mi range! When I switched to a stealth, I thought it had 310 or 322 (was never made clear by Tesla).
What I didn't know was that the wheels and tires mattered when looking at range. Driving in cold weather would hurt my range. Driving like a granny would help my range. Driving without heat or A/C on would help range. I probably would get better range if I shut off my stereo and windshield wipers! Boy was surprised in the weeks following delivery! Since I was in new territory of an EV, I really believed all the things I read.
This isn't Tesla's fault, as most sales reps (EV or ICE) quote EPA numbers all the time.
I knew it was easy to deviate from the EPA numbers in an ICE cars - I had driven them for many decades.
What I didn't expect was that an EV could lose dramatic amounts or range if not driven in ideal conditions - a whole lot more than in an ICE car. Luckily I live in California -- if I had to drive short trips in freezing conditions, I would be looking at range losses of 40% or more. I don't do long trips, so this is all just a realization for me. It does not impact how I value the vehicle. All it does is reinforce the notion of keeping my vehicle charged at all times.
Now when I see the new EPA numbers for the Model Y - I wonder - how much of this is technical BS or not? Is this an actual physical change, or a theoretical manipulation? We'll know when someone drives one for more than a short while. I still am perplexed as to whether anyone can 100% charge their Model 3 LR AWD to 322 or 310? In 2019+, Performance (P3D+'s) were rated at 310. Now they are rated at 299. Has anything really changed? Or have the numbers been recalculated or "massaged" (as we used to say when I was a scientist).
I guess all this makes me more confused than ever. It's best to just drive the car and be careful as to how many electrons are in the tank!