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Tesla backtracks on stalks, Polestar adds range | News Bites
More range for Tesla Model 3 and Y, indicator stalks return and Polestar boosts batteries and charging for the 3
Words by: Dan Trent
Published on 3 October 2025 | 0 min read
Elon Musk doesn’t present as the kind of guy who loses sleep over negative feedback from customers but it seems there is someone at Tesla listening to the backlash over confusing haptic indicator switches introduced on the Model 3. Yes, the indicator stalk is back in a small but significant victory for those left behind by the tech-fuelled purge on physical controls!
If that’s you then you’re permitted a smug told-you-so at Tesla’s boast the “new precision-engineered indicator stalk ensures effortless control while driving”, this basically admitting the previous arrangement did nothing of the sort. Other upgrades for Model 3 include a new forward-facing camera projecting a feed into the screen, this including heating and a washer to keep it clear of road muck and misting up. Batteries have also been upgraded on all variants for improved range across the board, the most impressive boost being for the Long Range RWD and its increase from 436 miles to 466 miles by official test figures. Or, at least, on the smaller 18-inch wheels. The Model Y also gets improved batteries and range, the Long Range AWD now doing 390 miles on the 19-inch wheel option, this up from the 364 miles of before.
If that’s you then you’re permitted a smug told-you-so at Tesla’s boast the “new precision-engineered indicator stalk ensures effortless control while driving”, this basically admitting the previous arrangement did nothing of the sort. Other upgrades for Model 3 include a new forward-facing camera projecting a feed into the screen, this including heating and a washer to keep it clear of road muck and misting up. Batteries have also been upgraded on all variants for improved range across the board, the most impressive boost being for the Long Range RWD and its increase from 436 miles to 466 miles by official test figures. Or, at least, on the smaller 18-inch wheels. The Model Y also gets improved batteries and range, the Long Range AWD now doing 390 miles on the 19-inch wheel option, this up from the 364 miles of before.
Polestar 3 gets faster charging and more range
You’ll be used to software updates in everything from your phone to household appliances and cars are now no different, manufacturers able to download improvements over the air with no need to visit a workshop or dealer. Something Polestar has been doing constantly with all its cars, with improvements to range and other features. No bad thing perhaps, given anecdotal evidence of glitchy software and other issues in its latest models.
Updates to the Polestar 3 are a little more extensive, though, and include a new and much more powerful onboard processor. We’re not computer nerds so we’ll just have to assume the promise of processing power going from 30 to 254 trillion operations a second (TOPS) is a good thing, on the basis big number is usually better than small number. At a practical level Polestar says the increased computing power means faster, more accurate responses from the safety systems and improved battery performance. The good news? While it requires a trip to the dealership the upgrade is ‘plug and play’ and will be provided free to all existing Polestar 3 owners from next year. If you’re ordering a new one now, meanwhile, there is a more significant upgrade to charging and batteries with the adoption of a more powerful 800V wiring architecture. This potentially slashes charging times by as much as a quarter if you can find somewhere to plug in capable of matching the 350kW the car now accepts. New batteries are also part of the package, with a 92kWh pack for the Rear motor cars and a socking great 106kWh one for Dual and Performance models. These and new motors mean more power, the front one now able to disengage entirely when not needed for improved range. There are an awful lot of impressive stats associated with these upgrades but we’ll spare you a blizzard of numbers and just say the 2026 model year Polestar 3s you can order now will go faster, further and take less time to charge than the ones already out there.
Updates to the Polestar 3 are a little more extensive, though, and include a new and much more powerful onboard processor. We’re not computer nerds so we’ll just have to assume the promise of processing power going from 30 to 254 trillion operations a second (TOPS) is a good thing, on the basis big number is usually better than small number. At a practical level Polestar says the increased computing power means faster, more accurate responses from the safety systems and improved battery performance. The good news? While it requires a trip to the dealership the upgrade is ‘plug and play’ and will be provided free to all existing Polestar 3 owners from next year. If you’re ordering a new one now, meanwhile, there is a more significant upgrade to charging and batteries with the adoption of a more powerful 800V wiring architecture. This potentially slashes charging times by as much as a quarter if you can find somewhere to plug in capable of matching the 350kW the car now accepts. New batteries are also part of the package, with a 92kWh pack for the Rear motor cars and a socking great 106kWh one for Dual and Performance models. These and new motors mean more power, the front one now able to disengage entirely when not needed for improved range. There are an awful lot of impressive stats associated with these upgrades but we’ll spare you a blizzard of numbers and just say the 2026 model year Polestar 3s you can order now will go faster, further and take less time to charge than the ones already out there.
