Tesla has produced a prototype of its upcoming $25,000 compact electric vehicle, according to a rumor coming out of China. Reportedly Giga Shanghai, or Tesla China, has completed production on a prototype of a new compact Tesla vehicle. Component suppliers have been secured, and a trial production run is internally being planned for the end of this year. The rumor comes from what is being called as a “pretty reliable source” that has a consistent track record with accurately reporting leaks. The vehicle itself is being labeled as “Model next gen,” with speculation pointing to a release version ..read more

Tesla has issued yet another price increase for Model S and Model X. Model S Long Range now has a starting price of $89,990, a $5,000 increase. This represents a $10,000 total increase following the $5,000 price adjustment from just under a month ago. Similarly, Model X Long Range starts at $99,990 — also a $5,000 price increase and a $10,000 total adjustment from when the vehicle was initially launched at $89,990. Model S and Model X Plaid remain unaffected at $129,990 (previously $119,990) and $119,990 respectively. Tesla has struggled to deliver both vehicles after unveiling a refresh with ..read more

Tesla is preparing a redesign of Model Y to be produced at its two upcoming Gigafactories. Elon Musk is considering the upcoming Model Y to be a totally “new design” of Tesla’s mass-market SUV. It is slated for production at Tesla’s Texas and Berlin Gigafactories, which are collectively expected to begin operating by the end of this year and begin volume production in 2022. The main difference will be in how the vehicle is produced: the front and rear bodies will each be casted together as singular parts. These changes in manufacturing are intended to make vehicle production more streamlined ..read more

Tesla has reached a settlement following a class-action lawsuit over battle throttling on early Model S vehicles. Owners of Model S 85, which was produced from June 2012-February 2016 with an 85kWh battery pack, have reported seeing reduced range by as much as 30 miles after updating to 2019.16.1. Following this update roughly two years ago, there was a tangible battery capacity degradation which also negatively impacted the fast-charging rate at Superchargers. Tesla claims that the update was intended to “protect the battery and improve battery longevity” with improved “charge and thermal man ..read more

Tesla has begun rolling out a software update with various new additions and improvements. Disney+ leads the list with its addition to Tesla Theater, which is available under the Entertainment icon in the Application Launcher while a Tesla is in park. Disney+ features entertainment from the best of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. Car Wash Mode is being introduced in this update (2021.24) for the purpose of to making it more convenient for Tesla owners to visit a car wash. Enabling it closes all windows and locks the charge port while also disabling windshield wipers ..read more

Tesla is planning a significant change to its retail operations.  Reportedly Tesla will no longer host showrooms within boutique shopping malls and high-end shopping districts. Retail employees will be kept as part of this change, but the stores themselves will be closed as soon as lease contracts expire — which may take several years. These expensive showrooms will be replaced by spaces in mall parking lots designed for remote test drives. Tesla advisors would unlock vehicles and provide assistance remotely, allowing prospective customers to test drive a vehicle without requiring employe ..read more

Elon Musk revealed on Tesla’s financial results call how Supercharging will work for non-Tesla electric vehicles. Simply, it will be handled via an elegant universal solution: through the Tesla app. Customers would indicate which Supercharging stall they’re utilizing, and how much electricity is needed. This would be incredibly simple and seamless internationally, such as in Europe where Tesla already utilizes the CCS standard that’s commonly adapted across all major electric vehicles. Customers in America would require an extra step since Tesla’s Supercharging connectors are proprietary, and ..read more

Tesla had a financial earnings call revealing insight on a new Model Y, details about Supercharging becoming open to all electric vehicles, and a FSD subscription paving the way for Full Self-Driving to eventually be used by every Tesla owner. “Record quarter on many levels,” with over a billion dollars in GAAP earnings.  Growth rate determined by the slowest part in the supply chain, which can be various different chips. Chip supply is the fundamental factor in overall output. Achieved output is due to people within Tesla swapping out chips and writing new firmware within a matter of we ..read more

Tesla has issued another price increase for Model 3 and Model Y. Model 3 All-Wheel Drive now starts at $49,990, an overnight increase of $1,000 and a $3,500 overall price adjustment for the year. Model 3 Standard Range Plus remains unaffected at $39,990 as does Model 3 Performance at $56,990. Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive, the starting configuration of Model Y, is now $53,990 after a simultaneous $1,000 increase. This configuration previously started at $49,990 just a few months ago. Similarly to Model 3, Model Y Performance remains consistent at $60,990.  Model Y briefly featured a ..read more

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities launched Year 2 of its electric vehicle incentive program Charge Up earlier this month.  Year 2 changes the program from a post-sale rebate to a point-of sale incentive. Tesla will provide the qualifying amount at time-of-purchase as a down payment on financing or a lease, or as a cash incentive on a purchase that reduces the total sale price by as much as $5,000. Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus qualifies for the full incentive amount of $5,000, as it features over 200 miles of range and a price point of under $45,000. Vehicles with a MSRP (befor ..read more