Massachusetts man starts to build diesel powered Model 3 after Tesla wouldn’t sell him a battery and motor for wrecked car, but the government halts project

The Tesla Model 3 has already conquered the EV world, but in an attempt to put the diesel industry in its grasp too, one Massachusetts man has been halted by the government.

Model 3 is the best-selling car of 2024 and undisputably the best common usage EV ever produced.

But what would happen if you replaced its notorious motor with an eco-friendly diesel engine? Oh, and add another set of wheels?

Well, one Massachusetts man has found out the hard way that the government doesn’t like it.

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Massachusetts man is building a diesel Tesla Model 3

YouTube car mechanic personality Rich Rebuilds has been restoring life into a range of broken Teslas, primarily those with motor faults as the Musketeer rarely sells the unique heartbeat of the cars as parts.

But he doesn’t just bring the EVs back to life, he instead makes variants, and this time, he went diesel.

After finding a scrapped Model 3 with no battery and motor, the YouTuber decided that they would be making a ‘Model D’ – a diesel-powered twist on the iconic Tesla that has more than one surprise.

The incredible concept is also getting a massive rear rebuild, where they are doubling up on the rear wheels to make it a six-wheeler.

Its no easy process though, and the team behind the restoration has hit many hurdles.

‘Model D’ faces government action

The project is three years in the making though, as after taking a 4BT diesel engine from a bread truck and putting it into the car, they faced reluctance from the government.

In an upload, the mechanic and his team revealed that they faced regulatory challenges with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after the diesel engine violated the Clean Air Act, which could have resulted in the termination of its vehicle registration.

The government has claimed that the Model 3 would produce too many emissions and black smoke, which goes against EPA regulations.

This means that the team has been forced to modify the diesel engine to run on vegetable oil and other naturally sourced biodiesel.

They’ve already faced similar issues with a Hummer project where they use fry oil to run it, and have succeeded in making it road legal.

The last update on Model D was one year ago now, and fans have been eagerly awaiting to see if the car will be setting foot on Massachusetts roads any time soon.

Other Tesla restoration projects have also proved to have some rather insurmountable potholes, and everyone is hoping this car avoids more runnings with