A rare Tesla Model 3 spotted in Germany, reportedly with new charging adapter

A rare Tesla Model 3 was spotted in Germany this week. It’s an interesting sighting for a few different reasons.

Of course, Model 3 vehicles are rare anywhere these days, but especially so in Europe since the new electric car is not expected to enter any European market until the end of next year.

Yet, the first Model 3 in Europe was spotted in the Netherlands in September. It appeared to be operated by Tesla.

Now another Model 3, apparently not the same one that was spotted a few months ago, was spotted in Germany this week.

The vehicle, which appears to have plates registered in Munich, was spotted at several locations around Germany, including near Ingolstadt:

https://twitter.com/hellomaxime/status/934150561133465600

When a Tesla vehicle ends up in Europe before its official launch, it has so far been mostly about German competitors acquiring the car in order to reverse-engineer it or benchmark it.

For example, Audi bought an early Model X to bring to Europe ahead of the European launch.

Interestingly, they didn’t know that European Tesla vehicles don’t have the same plugs as North American vehicles, which led to them being hilariously stuck at a Supercharger station in Germany.

But the vehicle is apparently not in the hands of German automakers, which leads us to another reason why this sighting is interesting.

Tesla doesn’t make the European version of the Model 3 yet, but it is not expected to have the same plug as the North American version, like Tesla’s other vehicles. Therefore, it shouldn’t be able to charge or Supercharge directly on European charge points.

Yet, a member of the German Tesla forum spotted the same Model 3 at the Braak Supercharger and that the vehicle was actually Supercharging. We were able to confirm the sighting with the only picture that they allowed him to take of the encounter – at least confirming that the encounter actually happened.

He said that the Model 3 was being driven by American Tesla employees and that they had a special adapter in order to charge at European Superchargers with a standard Tesla American plug.

It would be the first reported use of such a Mennekes Type 2 to Tesla plug adapter.

If you are in the region, be on the lookout and maybe you will have the chance to catch a glimpse of Model 3 almost a full year before its official launch in Europe.