• Tesla has reintroduced the turn signal stalk as standard on the Model 3 sedan in China and is offering it as a paid option for vehicles already delivered.
• Tesla removed the turn signal stalk from the Model 3 in September 2023, replacing it with buttons on the steering wheel.

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) removed the turn signal stalk from the Model 3 electric sedan two years ago. Now, the company has reinstated the feature and is allowing current owners to purchase it for a fee.

Information on Tesla China's website shows that all variants of the Model 3 -- rear-wheel drive, long-range rear-wheel drive, long-range all-wheel drive, and high-performance all-wheel drive -- once again come standard with turn signal stalks.

At the same time, Tesla is offering an optional upgrade for the feature in its mobile app, priced at RMB 2,499 ($350), which will be available in mid-September.

The product is applicable to Model 3 vehicles produced after February 7, 2025, without turn signal stalks. The service for vehicles produced before that date will be available at a later date, according to Tesla's app.

Tesla unveiled an updated version of the Model 3 in September 2023, which mainly upgraded the front end and interior, and removed the traditional turn signal stalk, replacing it with buttons on the steering wheel.

The windshield wiper control on the same stalk and gear shift stalk were also removed at that time, replacing them with controls on the central screen for shifting gears and adjusting the wipers.

These design changes sparked significant controversy, with many finding them difficult to adapt to and contrary to driving habits.

On January 10, Tesla launched an updated version of the Model Y SUV in China, retaining the turn signal stalk but maintaining the touchscreen-based gear shifting system.

Tesla has a factory in Shanghai that produces the Model 3 sedan and Model Y, which are delivered to local customers and also serve as an export hub.

Model 3 retail sales in China in July were 9,851 units, down 0.78 percent year-on-year, marking the third consecutive month of year-on-year decline and a 40.79 percent decrease from June, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.

In the first seven months of the year, the Model 3's retail sales in China totaled 101,770 units, up 26.54 percent year-on-year.

The Model Y's retail sales in China in July were 30,766 units, down 15.24 percent year-on-year and down 31.4 percent month-on-month.

In the first seven months of the year, the SUV's retail sales in China reached 202,257 units, down 17.15 percent year-on-year.

($1 = RMB 7.1857)