Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. Legacy Archives

Elon Musk sets the Internet on fire with a tease for Tesla’s mysterious ‘D’

Add as a preferred source on Google

Elon Musk certainly knows how to work a crowd.

Wednesday night the CEO of Tesla Motors tweeted a photo with the caption “About time to unveil the D and something else.”

Recommended Videos

The photo shows a partially rolled-up garage door with the letter “D” on it, and what appears to be a Model S electric car poking out. It has the date October 9, and the Tesla logo.

Since it was tweeted at 6:31 p.m. Pacific time, this little tease has nearly broken the Internet. It’s already been retweeted 9,352 times, and favorited 6,677 times.

Everything Musk does attracts attention, and the air of mystery surrounding the “D” only adds to that, but what exactly is this new Tesla?

Since the photo appears to show a Model S, it could very well be an updated version of the electric sedan.

Related: Watch Saleen’s Tesla Model S-based Foursixteen do a burnout

Tesla has discussed adding an all-wheel drive option, derived from the system that will be used in the upcoming Model X crossover. Maybe now is the time.

It’s also possible that Tesla has other significant changes in mind that can’t be implemented through the company’s typical “over the air” software updates.

Since its launch in 2012, Tesla has used software to continually update the Model S. However, certain new features require added hardware, and Tesla could also tweak aspects of the design along the lines of the mid-cycle refreshes other cars undergo every two to four years.

Those changes could include a larger battery pack. A 110-kilowatt-hour pack has been discussed on owner forums.

Whatever the “D” turns out to be, we’ll have the full story when it’s unveiled October 9 — assuming the Internet still works afterward.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Topics
Mazda chief says the MX-5 Miata could go electric
2019 Mazda Mazda3 AWD review

For years, the idea of an electric Mazda MX-5 Miata felt almost impossible. The little roadster has always been celebrated for one thing above everything else: keeping things light. Add a heavy battery pack into the equation, and many enthusiasts assumed the Miata's trademark driving character would disappear along with it.

Mazda, however, appears to have changed its mind. In an interview with German publication auto motor und sport, Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro confirmed that the next-generation MX-5 is being developed with the possibility of an all-electric version in mind. It doesn't mean the iconic roadster is abandoning gasoline anytime soon. Still, it does suggest Mazda wants the Miata to survive in a future where internal combustion engines may no longer be an option.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz reveals the 2028 GLA in two flavors and plenty of cool tech
The 2028 GLA debuts in electric and hybrid form, featuring Gemini, ChatGPT, and up to 408 miles range.
2028-Mercedes-Benz-GLA-SUV

Mercedes-Benz just gave its smallest SUV a serious glow-up. The automaker unveiled the redesigned 2028 GLA, its entry-level compact SUV, arriving in both fully electric and hybrid form. Like the recently redesigned CLA sedan, the GLA now rides on Mercedes' next-generation MMA platform.

What's new with the 2028 GLA's design and powertrain?

Read more
Hongqi says its new EV tech can charge a battery in just eight minutes, beating BYD
Hongqi EH7 car in green

It seems that every other month, a new company is coming out with battery-charging tech that’s defying our expectations. A few months back, BYD, the Chinese EV maker, impressed everyone with its “flash charging” system that could take its car from 10% to 97% in nine minutes. Now, Chinese automaker Hongqi has beaten that record. 

How fast is Hongqi's new battery?

Read more