Tesla has introduced a powered liftgate retrofit for the Model 3 on its online shop.
Priced at $800 including shipping to the customer’s preferred Tesla Service Center and installation, the powered liftgate retrofit enables owners of older Model 3 sedans equipped with a manual liftgate to open and close the rear liftgate with the touch of a button.
“Retrofit your vehicle with electronic components that allow you to control your liftgate from the Tesla app, your vehicle’s touchscreen or with a button on the liftgate itself,” reads the product’s description on the Tesla Shop.
While having to pull the trunk down by hand to close it isn’t a big deal for most people, having a powered liftgate can be more convenient when loading and unloading things in and out of the trunk or for users with reduced mobility.
The powered liftgate retrofit also enables the option of remote control via the Tesla app, which allows the user to open and close the truck electronically by simply tapping on your smartphone’s screen. This comes in handy when an owner is far away from the car and has forgotten to close the trunk, for example.
If you’re interested in buying this upgrade, you can do it either from the Tesla Shop website by scanning a QR code or directly from the Tesla app by selecting Upgrades, then Accessories, and Interior.
Tesla did not offer a powered liftgate when the Model 3 first launched, instead opting for a traditional pneumatic extender. There was no power option despite the fact that this was one of the most requested features from early Model 3 owners.
Later on, Tesla introduced a powered liftgate on new Model 3s in 2021, but older cars were stuck with the manual liftgate. The new powered liftgate retrofit takes care of that, bringing older Model 3 sedans up to date should their owners want that.
For now, the powered liftgate retrofit is available only in the United States and Canada, where it’s priced at 1,085 Canadian dollars.
