Tesla delivers first electric cars from its new factory in China
Tesla is now building cars at a new factory in China. The first batch of 15 Model 3 electric cars were delivered to Tesla employees during a celebratory event at the Shanghai factory. China car production is a big step for Tesla as it looks to continue to challenge established automakers.
Tesla owners will soon be able to watch Disney+ on their car’s touchscreen
Company co-founder and CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter that the feature is coming soon, though he didn't give more specific details. Owners of compatible Tesla models willing to pay a monthly fee will be able to access Disney+ while parked, and those who regularly stop at charging stations will love the feature.
Tesla update includes full self-driving ‘preview,’ better voice recognition
Tesla's 2019 holiday update includes a preview of its full self-driving capabilities expected next year, as well as better voice recognition for natural language queries and the ability to send and hear text messages by voice -- a feature that curiously has been absent since the beginning.
Tesla update adds Stardew Valley and backgammon from Lost (Yep, the TV show)
It sounds like compatible Tesla models will soon be able to recognize traffic lights and stop signs thanks to an upcoming over-the-air holiday software update. The repertoire of in-car games will also grow with the addition of Stardew Valley, and a version of Backgammon inspired by the TV show Lost.
A $2,000 software update makes the Tesla Model 3 quicker
The Tesla Model 3 can get even quicker if owners are willing to fork over $2,000. That buys a software update which can shave a few tenths of a second off the electric cars' zero to 60 mph time. While Tesla regularly gives customers free OTA updates, it has charged for certain features in the past.
The small cost to end child mining is not a price Big Tech is willing to pay
Cobalt is a key component of the lithium-ion battery in our smartphones, computers, and even cars -- items that are all inextricable from the way we live our lives in developed nations. But cobalt mining exploits child labor. What would happen if companies found more ethically extracted resources?
The Cybertruck vs. F-150 comparison isn’t fair, Tesla tells California officials
One of Tesla's top executives explained the Cybertruck will enter production as a Class 2B truck, while the Ford F-150 falls into the 2A category; they're not in the same segment. The Cybertruck's true rivals will be 2B's current leaders: the Ford F-250, the Ram 2500, and the Chevrolet Silverado 2500.
HBO, Twitch, and other streaming apps may come to Tesla’s dashboard
Tesla cars already have a slew of special infotainment features, but even more in-car streaming services and video game streaming might become available to Tesla owners. A Twitter user found premium streaming apps like HBO Go, HBO Now, and Comedy Central, as well as popular gaming platforms like Twitch and Mixer.
Truck owners prefer GM and Ford over Tesla Cybertruck, new study says
There has been a lot of hype surrounding Tesla’s electric pickup truck, but drivers still prefer other electric pickup models, according to a new study. Out of about 1,100 car shoppers, 63% of current truck owners prefer the GM electric truck and the Ford F-150 electric truck over the Tesla Cybertruck.
Hacker finds Tesla is working on a neighborhood-friendly Autopilot
Tesla is teaching its Autopilot-equipped cars how to recognize stop signs and traffic lights, according to a hacker, which represents a step toward making the software more suitable for urban use. There's no word yet on when the new features are coming, but we expect they'll be rolled out in the coming months.
Tesla owners now need to pay a monthly fee to unlock their car’s best features
Digital Trends expects the automotive industry's paywall to continue to grow during the 2020s; Tesla's decision to charge customers for access to full connectivity is only the beginning. The Model S, Model 3, and Model X will nonetheless come standard with basic features such as Bluetooth streaming and navigation.
Tesla fans want a Cybertruck made of Legos, and it might actually happen
One Lego fan is hoping to make a Lego Cybertruck set a reality. A Lego Ideas user posted a rendering of a Tesla Cybertruck Lego set that looks just like the original version, complete with front trunk and tailgate opening and closing function. So far, the idea is backed by more than 2,100 supporters.
Watch Elon Musk take Los Angeles by storm in the Tesla Cybertruck
Los Angeles-based car-spotters were in for a treat when Elon Musk cruised down the 405 freeway in the one and only Tesla Cybertruck prototype, and later parked it in front of a swank Malibu restaurant. The company was either testing something, like the powertrain, or it simply wanted to show off its first pickup.
The often-forgotten original Tesla model is finally getting some love
The day might come when Tesla needs to establish a division dedicated to classic cars. In the meantime, it promised Roadster owners waiting for spare parts that relief is around the corner. It will establish a service team dedicated to keeping its first model on the road. It's also inviting owners to trade them in.
Elon Musk and his Cybertruck make a glorious appearance in N64’s GoldenEye
This pixelated Cybertruck looks surprisingly at home prowling the streets of St. Petersburg, shooting and getting shot at in equal measures. It's also seemingly more bulletproof than it was during its unveiling. Elon Musk makes an appearance in the game to send James Bond on a dangerous, top-secret mission.
This Lotus-based submarine helped Tesla make the Cybertruck aerodynamic
There's at least one vintage car in Musk's garage: a 1976 Lotus Esprit converted into an electric submarine for the 1977 James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me. The wedge-shaped coupe partly influenced the Cybertruck's design, according to the executive. It's a silhouette that's far more aerodynamic than it might seem.
Tesla proposes dirt-busting lasers to clean grime off windshields
Forget using wipers to clean your windshield. Tesla thinks you should be able to destroy the dirt with laser beams. The idea, which showed up in a recently published patent, sounds perfect for Tesla’s futuristic Cybertruck, though the company says the technology could be used to clean solar panels, too.
Tesla’s Model Y could hit the road much earlier than expected
The last time we heard, Tesla's all-electric Model Y crossover was heading for a summer 2020 launch, but reports from its Taiwan-based suppliers suggest it could hit the road even sooner, possibly in the next three months. For a company known for missing its deadlines, that would certainly be marked down as a win.
The Ford F-150 vs. Tesla Cybertruck tug-of-war rematch may not happen after all
The battle of the pickups is heating up. Ford executive Sunny Madra didn’t much like it when he saw Tesla’s new Cybertruck beat an F-150 in a tug-of-war ... that was set up by Tesla. Madra has since challenged Tesla boss Elon Musk to a rematch, to which Musk responded: “Bring it on.”
LEGO pokes fun at Elon Musk with its own version of the Tesla Cybertruck
If Tesla’s $40,000 Cybertruck is a bit out of your budget, Lego has recreated the electric pickup truck in a much simpler and cheaper Lego version. Lego's version is one Lego brick with four wheels attached to it, with the caption “The evolution of the truck is here. Guaranteed shatterproof.”
Elon’s Cybertruck smash and more: The biggest on-stage screwups in tech history
It’s a brave person who steps onto a stage to show off a new piece of tech. When it goes wrong, it can go spectacularly wrong, leading the incident itself to become the star of the show.
Six theories on why the Cybertruck’s bulletproof glass cracked so easily
Elon Musk smashing two of the windows of Tesla's divisive pickup, the Cybertruck, was the most commented-upon moment of the futuristic vehicle's unveiling. But why did the armor glass windows let him down? Here are several theories which might explain the breaks heard around the world.
Elon Musk unveils Tesla’s Cybertruck with strange looks and great performance
Elon Musk opened the metaphorical curtains Thursday evening to unveil Tesla's new Cybertruck. This is the fourth model in the Tesla range, and the only model aimed squarely at the largest-selling sector of the U.S. automotive market. This truck represents a major design departure for Tesla.
Elon Musk spills the beans on Tesla Cybertruck pre-order numbers
Tesla boss Elon Musk unveiled the extraordinary Cybertruck on Friday, paving the way for any interested buyer to drop a $100 pre-order deposit on the futuristic vehicle. And within 48 hours, more than 180,000 people had opened their wallets with the hope of receiving the electric pickup in the next couple of years.
GM’s electric pickup coming for Tesla and Rivian in 2021
General Motors announced that a 2021 debut is in the works for an all-electric pickup truck to go up against competition from Tesla and Rivian for the business of a new kind of truck buyer who will embrace an electric platform.
With the Cybertruck, Musk brings a phaser to a gunfight. Will anybody buy it?
Tesla built a better pickup truck based on its specs. It's big, it's powerful, and it looks like nothing else on the market, But can Elon Musk's Cybertruck win buyers in a market where image is king, trucks are a huge part of individual identity, and cyberpunk is a head-scratcher?
How to watch Elon Musk unveil the Tesla Cybertruck, a new electric pickup truck
Tesla CEO Elon Musk will unveil the company's much-anticipated Cybertruck electric pickup truck on Thursday evening, part of the company's push to break into a segment of the automobile market that's largely been ignored by electric carmakers. Here's how to watch the event live.
Tesla begins rolling out its fast-charging V3 Superchargers
Tesla has rolled out the V3 Supercharger which has the capacity to fully charge a vehicle in as little as 15 minutes. A quick five minute charge can give an owner in a hurry a 75 mile range. Tesla is adding this new charging technology to its network of 12,000 charging stations worldwide.
Elon Musk sets aside rivalries to praise one of Tesla’s competitors
It's rare for an automotive industry executive to acknowledge a competitor's product, let alone praise it, so Elon Musk's comments surprised us. He congratulated Ford for making the Mustang Mach E, an electric crossover slated to enter production in 2020. The Mach E will compete directly against the Tesla Model Y.
Fine, I’ll call the Mach-E a Mustang. But that giant screen has to go
Just about all cars have some sort of screen for infotainment at this point, but it’s the mondo monitors that go too far. These aren’t displays, they’re dashtop computers, swallowing every car function, right down to A/C.
2021 Tesla Model Y vs. 2021 Ford Mustang Mach E
Ford drew inspiration from the Mustang to lock horns with Tesla; how's that for change? The Mustang Mach E (which shares nothing but a name with the actual Mustang) is aimed at the Tesla Model Y, and both are scheduled to enter production in late 2020. Here's how these two future rivals compare, and how they differ.
The Tesla Cybertruck, a cyberpunk electric pickup truck, coming Nov. 21
The wait for an electric pickup truck is almost over: Tesla says it will unveil its Cybertruck on November 21. Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted the announcement on November 6. The truck will debut at the Tesla design studio in Los Angeles, which is also the SpaceX headquarters.
A fleet of Teslas drove 300,000 miles. Here’s what broke and what didn’t
Tesla electric cars in the Tesloop shuttle service have racked up 300,000 miles apiece. Here's what issues those cars experience after accumulating high mileage. Tesloop owns seven cars, including Tesla Model 3, Model S, and Model X electric cars. They haven't been trouble-free.
Tesla gets permit to start production in Chinese factory
Tesla received a permit to begin production of Model 3 sedans at its “Gigafactory” in Shanghai. The factory will be the first plant in China that’s owned by a foreign carmaker, and it will be Tesla’s first factory outside of the U.S. The Shanghai Gigafactory is one of four facilities that Tesla has running/in the works.