How We Engineered the Traditional Mud Flap for the 2024 Tesla Model 3
A dedicated R&D cycle, an independent injection mold, and one design principle: if you're going to add a mud flap to a Model 3, it should look like the car was built to wear it.
The Problem
The Stripe of Grime That Ruins a New Model 3
Drive a new Model 3 for a month without mud flaps and you'll see it: a band of road spray climbing up the rear quarter panel, collecting grit behind each wheel. It's not dirt you can rinse off easily—it's fine particulate that bonds to clear coat and slowly etches it.
The aftermarket has always answered with universal-fit mud flaps. One size kinda-fits-all. They gap at the top, stick out at odd angles, or require drilling new holes into the factory liner. Install one and your Tesla suddenly looks like it's wearing someone else's parts.
"If we're going to add something visible to the car, it needs to look like it belongs. That meant designing from the actual surface of the vehicle—not from a flat template."
So we started this project with its own brief: maximum protection, a bold profile that announces the car is set up for real-world driving, and a precise fit against the 2024 Model 3 rear fender liner.
Precision First
We 3D-Scanned the Rear Fender—Down to 0.02mm
Mud flaps fail at the edges. A gap at the top lets spray through. A flare that sticks out catches curbs. These aren't styling problems—they're geometry problems, and geometry problems need geometry data.
We brought a Scantech handheld structured-light scanner to a 2024 Model 3. The scanner projects a grid of blue laser lines across the rear fender and underbody, building a point cloud of the surface topology at 0.02mm resolution—every draft angle, radius, and factory mounting hole captured the way it actually exists on the car.
The scan revealed what tape measurements miss: the rear wheel well isn't flat behind the tire. It has a 6° inward sweep at the top, a hidden step behind the factory mud guard tab, and a lower lip that curves outward to meet the rocker panel. Designing a mud flap from flat drawings would leave gaps in two places. Ours doesn't—because we designed to the surface, not to a sketch.
The Concept
We Chose Visibility, On Purpose
There's a design philosophy that says the best mud flap is one you can't see. For this product, we picked the opposite answer. A mud flap does work—real physical work—and the parts on your car that do the most work are usually the ones that look the most purposeful. Roof racks. Tow hitches. All-terrain tires. This flap's profile sits in that same visual language.
Wider Catch Area
Extends further outward and down than OEM-style flaps, so more spray ends up on the flap and less on the paint above it.
Full Side-Panel Coverage
The outer edge follows the natural curve of the rocker, closing the gap where road grime usually creeps up onto the quarter panel.
Bold Profile, Not Aftermarket Profile
Shaped to match the Model 3's bodyline—noticeable from the side, but never awkward from the rear.
No Drilling Required
Locates onto the factory fender liner holes. One OEM-style screw per flap, hidden behind the wheel. 5 minutes per corner.
Trial & Error
Printed, Installed, Iterated
Our first prototypes came off the 3D printer within days of finalizing the scan-derived CAD. Every iteration was test-fitted on a 2024 Model 3 test vehicle, then logged so we could tell which revision solved which fit problem.
Round 1 — First Physical Fit
3D-printed prototype on the Bambu Lab printer. First test-fit revealed a 1.2mm gap at the top inner edge where the fender liner curves inward. The scan data was right—our offset wasn't.
Round 2 — Mounting Clip Geometry
Redesigned the internal ribbing that locates the flap against the factory liner. Added a secondary snap tab that pre-positions the flap before the screw goes in—so one person can install it without a helper.
Round 3 — Outer Profile Refinement
Trimmed 4mm from the outer lower edge to clear the rocker at full suspension compression. Increased the rib pitch on the tire-facing surface to shed mud faster after a rain.
Round 4 — Production Tooling
Cut the injection mold for the final geometry. First-shot production parts passed caliper verification in 6 critical dimensions, matched the scan data within 0.3mm, and installed cleanly on three separate 2024 Model 3 test vehicles.
Verification
Caliper-Verified, Road-Tested
CAD renderings look perfect. Real parts on real cars don't. Every prototype ran through the same physical check: digital caliper at the critical mounting points, then installed on a 2024 Model 3 test vehicle, then driven.
"The goal wasn't invisibility. It was rightness. It should look like something Tesla would have designed if they'd decided to factory-fit mud flaps."
Materials
Why Soft-Flex TPE, Not Hard Plastic
| Component | Material | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flap body | Soft-flex TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) | Absorbs stone impacts. Flexes on curb strikes. Stays pliable from −20°C to +80°C. |
| Mounting backbone | High-density TPE inner rib | Stiffer zone bonded into the same part—rigid where it bolts, flexible where it flaps. |
| Surface finish | Matte grain, UV-stabilized | Doesn't fade to gray after a summer. Matches Tesla's factory trim texture. |
| Hardware | Stainless steel screws (OEM-thread compatible) | Won't rust. Threads into existing factory fender liner holes. |
We specifically avoided hard ABS: it cracks on first real impact and leaves a shard dangling from one screw. We avoided PVC: off-gasses in summer heat and smells in a closed garage. Every material choice is for the life of the car.
The Result
What You Actually Get
| Feature | What It Means for You |
|---|---|
| 3D-scan-derived fit | No gaps at the top. No flare sticking out. Looks factory. |
| Wider catch area | More road spray intercepted before it reaches the paint. |
| Full side-panel coverage | Closes the gap where grime usually climbs onto the quarter panel. |
| No drilling | Locates onto factory fender liner holes. Installs in under 5 minutes per corner. |
| Soft-flex TPE | Bounces back from curb strikes and road debris instead of cracking. |
| UV-stable matte finish | Stays black through summer. No fading. |
| 4-piece full-car set | Front left, front right, rear left, rear right. Same precise fit at every corner. |
| Fits 2024+ Model 3 (Highland) | Validated on the current generation. Not the 2017-2023 body. |
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this fit the old (2017-2023) Model 3 or only the 2024+ Highland?
How does this differ from the other Model 3 Highland mud flap you make?
Do I need to drill holes in my Tesla?
How long does installation take?
Will they rattle or fall off?
Why TPE instead of ABS or rubber?
Will it affect aerodynamics or range?
Ready to Upgrade?
Mud Flaps Engineered Like They Should Be
3D-scan-derived fit. No drilling. Soft-flex TPE. Wider catch area for real-world protection.
Shop NowFits 2024+ Tesla Model 3 (Highland) · Free US Shipping
