Tag Archives: tesla
Demand for Cybertruck is More Than What Tesla Can Produce in 4 Years
The reception of the Tesla Cybertruck was mixed when it was unveiled. However, Tesla CEO Elon Musk appears to be very confident with the demand for the electric vehicle inspired by steampunk movies.
As of November last year, Musk revealed through a tweet that the orders for the Cybertruck have already reached around 250,000 units. Although there are no official updates since then, the company CEO strongly believes that they will not be able to meet the demand for the product in four years.
If the numbers remained the same, Tesla would have to produce at least 62,500 units of the pickup yearly. Judging the character of Musk, if there have been significant changes in the figures, he certainly wouldn’t have missed the chance to boast about it.
Gene Munster of Loup Ventures asked Musk about the number of Cybertrucks that they could deliver and its production costs. The Tesla boss simply answered , “We don’t comment on those detailed numbers, except the demand is just far more than we could reasonably make in the space of, I don’t know, three or four years, something like that.”
Musk cited several factors affecting their electric pickup truck production. First is the limited capacity of the Fremont plant. Although he does not have a direct solution to address this predicament, he said that they will just try to make as many Cybertrucks as they can so they could meet up with the strong demand. The second problem lies in the number of batteries that they have.
“The thing we’re going to be really focused on is increasing battery production capacity because that’s very fundamental. If you don’t improve battery production capacity, then you end up just shifting unit volume from one product to another and you haven’t actually produced more electric vehicles,” Musk pointed out.
Looking at the Top 3 Features of the Tesla Cybertruck
After much hype, the Tesla Cybertruck was finally unveiled at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. The electric pickup truck was truly futuristic-looking, but many also found its design to be ludicrous. The debut was marred by a gaffe but Tesla already received 150,000 orders for it
Exterior
The Cybertruck takes inspiration from the iconic vehicles seen in Blade Runner and Back to the Future. The panels of the auto appear to be the structural part of the EV already, which makes it a true unibody.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk boasted that the Cybertruck is dent-proof and scratch-resistant. He claimed that the body of the pickup uses the same materials found on the SpaceX Starship prototype, which can withstand even 9mm handgun rounds.
Franz von Holzhausen, the chief designer of the vehicle, went on to hit the side of the auto with a sledgehammer two times to demonstrate its durability, and it didn’t even leave a depression. However, when he went on to throw a metal ball at the supposedly unbreakable driver’s side window, the glass broke.
Musk tried to make up for it by asking von Holzhausen to repeat the test at the rear door window, but it yielded the same disappointing result. The Tesla boss tried to save face by saying that at least the ball didn’t go through.
Franz throws steel ball at Cybertruck window right before launch. Guess we have some improvements to make before production haha. pic.twitter.com/eB0o4tlPoz
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 23, 2019
Musk later uploaded a tweet showing the same metal ball throwing feat before the live event wherein the glass of the Cybertruck didn’t even crack. Despite the incident, he remains optimistic and he promised that they will fix the issue.
Interior
Going inside the electric pickup reveals a very minimalistic and clean interior. A 17-inch touchscreen display governs the infotainment system of the auto. The EV is planned to feature a full self-driving feature as well.
Meanwhile, the architecture of the Cybertruck translates to more space within it for the driver and passengers. It has a five-seating capacity that can fit five adults comfortably.
Power
The base model of the Cybertruck that starts at $39,900 is equipped with a single-motor rear-wheel-drive system. It allows the EV to accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 6.5 seconds. There’s a much-pricier trim of the auto with a three-motor setup that should cost at least $69,900. Although no official estimates are available for the flagship model, it is expected to offer a hypercar-level of output.
The Cybertruck has a 14,000 lb tow rating and its maker claims that its fully-charged battery can reach over 500 miles.
Cybertruck and CYBRTRK Names Patented for Tesla Electric Pickup
Details about the possible names for the planned Tesla electric pickup truck have been revealed. Based on the recent filing of the electric vehicle maker with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the product will carry either the Cybertruck or CYBRTRK moniker. A proposed badge for the auto surfaced too.
Elon Musk already confirmed the official unveiling of the Tesla electric pickup via Twitter . He referred to the vehicle as “Cybertruck”. The same post also mentioned that the big reveal will happen on November 21 near the SpaceX rocket factory of Tesla in Los Angeles.
The Tesla electric pickup is the American EV brand’s answer to the upcoming electric Ford F150 pickup truck. This could pose as a strong rival to Ford in the electric pickup segment of the market since Tesla has established itself already in the EV niche. At present, it already has the electric sedan, sports car, crossover and SUV in its lineup.
The Cybertruck or CYBRTRK names for the pickup seem to be a departure from the traditional naming scheme of Tesla. Currently, the company uses the word “Model” succeeded by a letter or number in identifying its vehicles. So this appears to be a fresh start for them.
In a related report, we have recently unearthed a site that is already capitalizing on the name revealed by Musk. Following his announcement, someone already created a forum dedicated to the upcoming Tesla pickup truck called the CYBRTRK Owner’s Club. Great job in beating Tesla to the chase guys!
Tesla Sued for Pop-Out Door Handles in Model S
Tesla is in hot waters as an unfortunate accident resulted in a lawsuit against the automaker. The victim’s family cited wrongful death as the cause of their loved one’s demise due to the problematic pop-out door handles of the car.
The victim was Dr. Omar Awan who is a 48-year old anesthesiologist from Davie, Florida. The investigation claimed that he crashed his Tesla Model 3 in a palm tree. It resulted in the battery igniting, which later caused a fire in the entire car.
The police report alleged that rescuers had trouble accessing the victim as the car was engulfed in flames because of the failure of the door handles to engage. The lawsuit claimed, “Fire engulfed the car and burned Dr. Awan beyond recognition — all because the Model S has inaccessible door handles, no other way to open the doors, and an unreasonably dangerous fire risk.”
The pop-out door handles of the Model S retract when not in use. However, the car has an emergency feature that pops them out during an impact. It should activate at the same time the airbags are deployed. This wasn’t the case though with Dr. Awan’s vehicle. Sadly, he died of smoke inhalation because of the botched rescue.
Looking back at 2015, it isn’t the first time for Tesla to get under fire for faulty door handles. Owners of the Model S have complained that the pop-out door handles sometimes fail to work on cold weather because of their mechanisms getting frozen, and sometimes they would just stop working for no reason.
A similar incident happened in California wherein a man named Kevin McCarthy also died because the defective door handles prevented his escape from the burning Model S.
Authorities added that Dr. Awan’s Model S reignited multiple times after the flames have been doused and the car was already in tow. This was attributed to the car’s lithium-ion battery sparking even when the fire was out by then.
With the rapid advancements in the automotive landscape, events like these make us question if all the innovations that carmakers are introducing are really useful and practical. There’s the question too of whether or not the public, especially rescuers, is truly prepared with all the complex challenges posed by the influx of new car technologies.
Tesla Stands By Its Claim That The Model 3 Is ‘Safest Car Ever Tested’
Despite a warning from a federal safety regulator last fall that Tesla stops advertising its Model 3 as the “safest car ever tested,” the Palo Alto-based company is standing by its claim.
According to Tesla, Model 3 passengers will have “the lowest probability of injury of all cars the safety agency has ever tested.” This is still on the company’s website. However, documents showed that in at least five instances, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sent subpoenas to the company, seeking information on crashes involving their vehicles.
In October last year, the same federal agency sent a cease-and-desist letter to Tesla for not complying with the agency’s guidelines in its Model 3 safety assertions. NHTSA apparently chided Tesla, which is led by billionaire Elon Musk, for publishing misleading statements about the safety of the car.
In a letter dated October 31, 2019, Tesla stood by its analysis of NHTSA’s data. Tesla deputy general counsel Al Prescott said that Tesla’s statements “are neither untrue nor misleading.”
“To the contrary, Tesla has provided consumers with fair and objective information to compare the relative safety of vehicles having 5-star overall ratings.”
According to the automaker, 40% of cars have five-star safety ratings from the NHTSA. The advertisement aims to help consumers know the difference in safety features among the cars currently in the market.
A letter from NHTSA chief counsel Jonathan Morrison to Musk on October 17 last year said that this was not the first time that Tesla did not heed the guidelines of the agency “in a manner that may lead to consumer confusion and give Tesla an unfair market advantage.”
Safety groups have criticized Tesla and Musk for being unclear about the capabilities of its Autopilot, a partial autonomous driving feature that falls just short of not needing driver intervention whatsoever.
Fisker Electric SUV Will Rival Tesla Model Y
EV brand Fisker is reviving its lineup with a new SUV with a 300-mile range in the works. The company, who released a series of teaser shots of the EV, said it plans to introduce the new SUV to the market in 2021 with a debut scheduled this December.
Fisker said it is in the final stages of choosing a production site for the SUV. The company added that it will be priced below $40,000, meaning that the price point will rival the Tesla Model Y which is due to be released in the second half of 2020.
Back in 2018, Fisker introduced the EMotion sedan that will supposedly be the foundation of the EV SUV. But the teaser images revealed by the company showed a different design that the concept introduced a year ago. This vehicle has sharper lines and an indicator lamp mounted in the C-pillar. This design is supposed to improve the safety features of the EV, Fisker said.
There were earlier photos of the SUV that revealed a somewhat similar front design to the EMotion. Both of the vehicles placed their safety sensors within the cars’ grille. They will also have massive wheels of up to 22 inches in diameter for the SUV and 24 inches for the sedan.
Under the hood, the SUV is going with a dual-motor system that can drive for 300 miles. Its battery is a conventional lithium-ion although Fisker is planning to develop its own battery. It’ll be no surprise if the battery is switched halfway into the production.
The EV SUV is one of the three most affordable models in the company’s plan. The two others will follow the SUV while the EMotion is going to be launched soon after. The EMotion will retail for a whopping $190,000 with top specifications.
The EMotion was originally scheduled for a 2019 reveal but the plan has been put to test by Fisker wanting to perfect its solid-state battery, the same one it plans to use in this new SUV. The solid-state battery will be able to go 500 miles on a single charge. It will also be recharged in just a few minutes.
Tesla Sets Model 3 Starting Price To £38,900 In UK
Tesla just released the pricing details for its Model 3 as the car goes on sale in the United Kingdom. Thanks to the government’s £3,500 ($4,564) plug-in car grant, the Model 3 with the Standard Range Plus rear-wheel-drive car will only cost £38,900 ($50,727).
If you want a faster Model 3 version, which is aptly named the Model 3 Performance, you need to shell out £56,900 ($74,249). The Performance version can bring the car from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.2 seconds. But if longer mile range is more of your priority, you can get the Long Range AWD, a trim level that sits between the two versions. With a selling price of £47,900 ($62,524), the Long Range AWD can get you 348 miles as tested under the WLTP standards.
Although the entry-level Model 3 is more expensive than we have anticipated, it comes with a slew of special features that include an Autopilot system that can accelerate, brake, and steer the car in the right lane. It can also be set up to overtake maneuvers on motorways and dual-carriageways.
For an extra £4,900 ($6,394), Tesla can also equip the Model 3 with full self-driving capability. This will give the car the ability to drive automatically in the city and respond to traffic lights. It is worth taking note, however, that choosing the upgrade after the car has already been delivered will cost £6,800 ($8,867).
Inside, the Model 3 is fitted with the most basic of equipment—a steering wheel and a 15-inch touchscreen that faces the driver. The screen eliminates the need for physical display and control functions.
Buyers can choose from five colors. If you choose solid black, you won’t have to pay extra. Midnight Silver and Deep Blue will go for an extra £950 ($1,239) while the Multi-Coat Red and Pearl White will cost £1,900 ($2,478).
Feds Subpoenaed Tesla Records About Model 3 Production
Investigators from the United States’ Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) subpoenaed information about the earlier production forecasts for the Tesla Model 3 electric car that were made last year before its distribution. Tesla admitted this in a regulatory filing last Friday.
Based on the disclosure in Tesla’s quarterly financial report, the company said that the SEC asked to see records and public statements made about the predictions for the Model 3 production. The report said that Tesla is cooperating with the Justice Department in its investigation.
There have been widespread news reports that the SEC has asked to look into the records of the company regarding its Model 3 predictions. This is the first time that Tesla acknowledges the SEC subpoena though it said that it is cooperating with the Justice Department.
The Model 3 is an integral part of Tesla’s plan to become a household name, to move away from the luxury-vehicle-maker tag and appeal to a broader audience. And as the company pledges to meet quarterly net profits into the future, Tesla has to find a stable cash flow, which the Model 3 signifies.
In 2017 though, the company had trouble meeting the production requirements. It draws a lawsuit from investors who believed they were misled by Tesla CEO Elon Musk about the company’s production targets.
Early last year, Tesla announced that it plans to produce up to 5,000 units of Model 3 a week by the end of 2017. But because of automation problems at its Fremont, California factory, the company fell short of its target and made only 793 in the last week of 2017 and 2,700 for the entire year. It hit the 5,000-a-week target only starting June this year.
Tesla said in the filing that as far as the company knows, no government agency in an ongoing investigation has found out the Palo Alto company did anything wrong. There were no further comments from Tesla, the SEC, or the Justice Department.
Range-Topping Tesla Model 3 Is Now Standard With Performance Package
For Tesla , if you want the Performance Package, you would have to pay about $5,000 more. The fee will get you some really cool features such as a carbon-fiber spoiler, a 310-mile estimated range, and 20-inch alloys on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. But the electric-vehicle producer is now offering the $5,000 Performance Package as standard to the range-topping Tesla Model 3 without any increase in the base price.
Tesla has been known to change, mostly increase, its prices from time to time. This time though, the change is good because the Performance Upgrade option will now be added to the most expensive trim in the Model 3 lineup—the Dual Motor Performance. The package comes with an all-wheel-drive system and has a 310-mile estimated range. The starting price for the top-range trim is $65,200 even after the $5,000 upgrade.
It also includes a carbon-fiber spoiler, aluminum pedals, lowered suspension, new 20-inch alloys on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, upgraded brakes, and a 10-mph increase in its top speed. This boost will allow the range-topping Tesla Model 3 to hit 155 mph.
However, many Tesla Model 3 owners have already paid the $5,000 fee so this news doesn’t really sit well with them. After they complained to Elon Musk on Twitter, the controversial Tesla CEO agreed to refund the $5,000 fee or the disgruntled customers can choose for free Supercharging for the entirety of the ownership. It’s a pretty sweet deal so all you Tesla Model 3 owners who shelled out $5,000 for the package can now proceed to dealerships and get more value for your money.
A couple of months ago, Tesla offered free “unlimited” Supercharging to current Model 3 Performance owners. They can also gift new buyers the same benefit under the company’s referral scheme. The program ended in September so the Model 3 is no longer being offered with the free Supercharging.
Tesla Rolls Navigate On Autopilot In North America
Tesla cars are close to being able to drive on their own as the company that controversial CEO Elon Musk started just announced the activation of its Navigate on Autopilot feature. This will allow the car to change lanes and take exits under minimal driver supervision.
A couple of weeks ago, Tesla rolled out its 9.0 software, which included a new dashcam feature, games that can be played while the car is parked, and updates to the vehicle’s navigation settings. The update held back one feature: the Navigate on Autopilot.
On Saturday though, Musk tweeted: “Tesla Autopilot Drive on Navigation going to wide release in North America tonight.” This brings the company closer to a fully autonomous self-driving car with no driver interference.
For the Navigate on Autopilot, the system will require drivers to confirm lane changes before the car moves into an adjacent lane. Future versions of the technology will allow customers to waive the confirmation requirement. But until such time that regulators approve and validate the use of self-driving technology, Tesla maintained that “drivers are responsible for and must remain in control of their car at all times.”
The Navigate on Autopilot “guides a car from a highway’s on-ramp to off-ramp, including suggesting and making lane changes, navigating highway interchanges, and taking exits.” The system is designed to allow users to find and follow the most efficient path to their destinations. And while drivers must always be attentive when using Autopilot, the system adds another layer of security by ensuring that drivers are paying attention since the lane-change feature won’t work without a driver confirmation.
With eight external cameras and radar and ultrasonic sensors, the Navigate on Autopilot “provides an additional layer of safety that two eyes alone would not have,” a statement from Tesla said.
The introduction of the Software Version 9.0 allowed Tesla to collect performance and safety data at scale based on real-world driving. The data collected was used to configure the features of the Navigate on Autopilot.
