A bunch of engineering nerds from Germany have made a unique and interesting modification to the Tesla Model 3. These guys who run a successful YouTube channel with the name The Real Life Guys have installed giant tank chains as wheels on a Tesla Model 3 electric car.
This ultra-accessory of large tank chains attached to this Tesla Model 3 has made it an ultimate off-road machine, perhaps, even better than the upcoming Cybertruck. But this is jus a fun project and can’t be presented to the masses.
It took 4 weeks of massive engineering efforts to prepare these gigantic chains to be able to be attached to the wheel hubs of the Tesla Model 3. These chains elevate the Model 3 to 80 cm (~31.5 in) above ground level — enough ground clearance for almost any off-road adventure on any type of terrain.
These huge chains weigh 1.3 tons each — with 2.6 tons of combined weight. Although the electric powertrain of a Tesla Model 3 Dual-Motor is very powerful for normal use, moving these heavy chains will significantly drop the range of the vehicle.
However, in the 1st video installment of this modified Model 3 series, the YouTubers have only shared the engineering and installation of these chains, test drive and estimated range will be shared in an upcoming video.
Since there were no giant steel wheels of a tank in a Tesla Model 3 that would rotate these huge chains, the modification engineering team came up with their own creation to perform this function. It required 12 small wheels, 12 shock absorbers & springs, two normal wheels at the front, and a gigantic steel pully/gear on each side to rotate these gigantic chains.
12 springs/shock absorbers were installed on each side (24 in total) to handle the off-road terrain hits. Heavy use of hammers and sledgehammers was needed to put these gigantic steel objects together — talk about some heavy-duty engineering.
A few years ago, YouTuber Simone Giertz converted a Tesla Model 3 into a small pickup truck that she called Truckla — but this Model 3 tank is on another level.
Let’s watch how these guys built this ultimate Model 3 off-road machine.
Stay tuned for constant Tesla updates, follow us on:
Google News | Flipboard | X (Twitter) | WhatsApp Channel | RSS (Feedly).
Related
- Tesla (TSLA) begins the rollout of the 2025 Spring Release OTA software update (2025.14)
- Tesla Spring Update to enable B-pillar cameras for Sentry Mode, adaptive headlights, new Cybertruck features, more (2025.14 Release Notes)
- Cybertruck Long Range RWD is here, Tesla strips important features for a $10K price drop (compare variants)
- Tesla OTA update 2025.8.6 makes battery recalibration easier, enables Cybertruck height controls in mobile app (Release Notes)
- Tesla launches FSD Early Access Program in the US, here’s how to enroll your car in it
- Tesla launches Diamond Black, a new Model Y and Model 3 color for North America
- Tesla (TSLA) vehicle deliveries dropped ~15% YoY in Q1 2025, but energy storage business grew more than 150%
- A Tesla Model 3 spotted probably testing for Unsupervised FSD for the Texas launch in June
.){kind=link}