Tesla's Model 3 update: HEPA filter status questioned

There have been recent reports that a Tesla employee may have been misleading in a post about the interior of a Model 3, suggesting that the car would be equipped with a HEPA filter known for its air purifying properties. We are still waiting for an official confirmation from Tesla regarding whether the shared image was misleading.

The story has taken an interesting turn as it seemed that Tesla had hinted that a major feature had been included in the Model 3 Highland by finally equipping the popular sedan with a HEPA filter. This type of filter is already a known feature of the more expensive models such as the Model S, Model X and later the Model Y. HEPA filters have been heavily promoted by Tesla in recent years, emphasizing its ability to filter out a vast majority of biological hazards and fine particles such as bacteria, viruses, pollen and mold spores.

Tesla also has a special Bioweapon Defense Mode in the Model S, Model X, and Model Y, which takes air filtration to an even higher level. In a 2016 blog post, Tesla described how the introduction of HEPA filters and Bioweapon Defense Mode managed to filter out pollutants to such low levels that they were undetectable by their instruments, allowing them to take off their gas masks and breathe fresh air even when surrounded by pollution.

The effectiveness of the HEPA filter and Bioweapon Defense Mode has also been demonstrated in a video from the company. Although these features were introduced in the Model S and Model X, and later in the Model Y in 2021, the Model 3 was until recently exempt from this update.

But now it seems that Tesla has indicated that the Model 3 Highland will come with this coveted filter, based on graphics from the company's Chinese division. With the updated Model 3 Highland heading to various markets, including Asia, the Middle East and most of Europe, it is a positive sign that the HEPA filter could become part of the car that established Tesla as a mass market company.

Tesla advertises that the HEPA filter in the Model 3 Highland can filter out 99.97 percent of the particles in the air, potentially improving the air quality that passengers breathe.

CEO Elon Musk joked a few years ago that sitting in traffic with exhaust gases flowing straight into the car's air system was probably not the best thing for human health.

Now, if it's true that Tesla's entire fleet is equipped with HEPA filters, the company can justifiably boast that their cars are some of the safest on the market in terms of cabin air quality. We are keeping our eyes peeled for the official confirmation from Tesla and will update you when we know more.