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Tesla cars will get even quicker through a software update
Tesla isn't done wringing every last drop of performance out of its electric cars, apparently. Elon Musk has revealed that a December software update will improve the off-the-line acceleration of both the Model S and Model X in their ultimate P100D trim levels when using their "Easter egg" (read: Ludicrous) modes. In both cases, it should shave a tenth of a second off both their 0-60MPH and quarter mile times. That doesn't sound like much, but it's a big deal for EVs that are already competitive with the quickest cars on the planet. The 2.4-second 0-60 time for the Model S could make Bugatti Chiron drivers nervous, and a 2.8-second launch for the Model X would put the Bentley Bentayga to shame.
Tesla's entry-level Model S gets a $2,000 price hike
Tesla has told customers via its monthly newsletter that it will hike the base Model S 60 price by $2,000 on November 22nd. The new $68,000 price is still luxury car money, so we doubt the increase will dissuade many potential buyers. However, it gives them even less of a reason to choose the 60 kWh, 215-mile-range Model S, since the 75 kWh Model S 75 is just $6,500 more and has 259 miles of range.
Tesla asks new car buyers to pay for Supercharger access
It's not just your average Model 3 owner who'll have to pay to use Superchargers. Tesla has announced that anyone ordering one of its cars after January 1st, 2017 will no longer get unlimited free Supercharger top-ups -- yes, even if you buy a top-tier Model S or X. You'll get 400kWh of free credit every year (enough to recharge a P100D four times), but every charge after that will carry an incremental "small fee." The company is quick to note that Superchargers will "never be a profit center," and that whatever you pay (which may depend on local electricity rates) will be less than what it would take to fill a similar gas-powered car.
Tesla added an all-glass roof to the Model S
Elon Musk has apparently been thinking about roofs a lot lately. SolarCity might want to make the most out of the roof on your house, but Tesla wants to remove those barriers between you and the sun entirely. Behold: the glass-roofed Tesla Model S sedan, which improves on the already sunny panoramic sunroof by doing away with the middle crossbar for a nearly seamless view of the sky.
Tesla moves its 'unexpected' product unveiling to Wednesday
Tesla was set to reveal an "unexpected" product today, but you'll have to wait a few more days to find out what it is. In a tweet early this morning, CEO Elon Musk said that the announcement has been postponed until Wednesday (October 19th), because it "needs a few more days of refinement." It's still not clear exactly what Tesla is announcing; speculation has ranged from the Model 3's final design, to a new PowerWall model to an updated version of the Autopilot.
Tesla's electric car deliveries surge by 70 percent
Tesla didn't have the best spring thanks to sub-par deliveries, but it made up for that in style this summer. The company reports that it delivered 24,500 electric vehicles in the third quarter, or a whopping 70 percent more than it did in the second quarter -- and over twice the 11,580 it shipped a year earlier. It's not simply a matter of clearing a backlog, either, as production was up 37 percent (to 25,185 cars) over the second quarter.
Dutch limo company builds a Tesla Model S hearse
While Tesla updates the AutoPilot software to reduce your risk of meeting an untimely demise behind the wheel of one of its vehicles, Netherlands-based builder RemetzCar is taking a different approach. This Tesla Model S isn't the first one to get the stretch treatment, but it is apparently the first one intended for use as a hearse. Commissioned by Van der Lans & Busscher BV, it can make sure your last ride is a zero-emissions one in what the company claims is the first fully-electric hearse.
Tesla edges out Toyota for longest range zero-emission vehicle
We knew Tesla was revving up and adding range to its electric vehicle lineup, but now we have the EPA's official word. The company's top-of-the-line Model S P100D is not only quickest production car in the world, but it's also the longest-running zero-emission vehicle with 315 miles of range -- narrowly beating out Toyota's hydrogen fuel-cell Mirai by just three miles.
Tesla's major Autopilot update starts rolling out today
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has taken to Twitter to announce the latest update to his company's EVs will begin rolling out tonight. We've heard quite a lot about the "major overhaul" that is version 8.0 already, since it includes significant tweaks to the semi-autonomous Autopilot mode -- a reaction to the feature's role in a fatal crash this summer. Following the update, Autopilot will rely more heavily on radar, rather than these sensors playing second fiddle to camera feeds. The idea is radar is much more reliable than cameras when visibility is poor, such as when you're driving through snow or fog.
Hackers were able to remotely control a moving Tesla Model S
A team of researchers from China's Keen Security Lab were able to remotely hack into a Tesla Model S by exploiting the vehicle's in-car web browser. While the Keen group worked closely with Tesla's own security team to fix the vulnerability before it could be put to any nefarious use, the hackers showed it was possible to control many functions of Tesla's flagship sedan -- including the brakes and the sunroof -- from miles away.
Augmented reality puts clothes on near-naked models
There have certainly been attempts at using augmented reality to help choose your wardrobe, but never quite like this. Internet retailer Lyst marked the start of London Fashion Week by using AR to clothe near-naked models in a shop window -- effectively, they were living mannequins. You only had to point a phone or tablet at the models to see what they would look like donning some athletic wear or a formal dress, no matter the pose or the viewing angle.
Tesla's next Autopilot update will rely more on radar
Today Tesla announced that its upcoming Autopilot 8.0 update will rely more on radar than previous versions of the semi-autonomous feature. To boot, it will penalize inattentive drivers.
Tesla unveils 100 kWh battery for Model X and S
Tesla's latest innovation is a 100 kWh battery pack for the Model X and Model S that can travel up to 315 miles non-stop, an improvement over its existing 90 kWh model. With the upgraded battery, the Model S P100D is the first and only electric car on the market able to exceed 300 miles of range on a single charge. The new battery module is roughly the same shape and size as the 90 kWh version, though it's more densely packed and features improved cooling mechanisms. The standard charging rate for the 100 kWh battery remains the same as its predecessor, while supercharging should hold a higher rate for a longer period of time.
Tesla preps an extra long-range battery for its electric cars
Tesla has dropped hints that it's ready to extend the range of its electric cars (there was an allusion to a "P100D" hidden in firmware), but it now looks like that long-distance technology is getting closer to fruition. Dutch regulators have approved 100D and P100D versions of both the Model S and Model X, hinting that a 100kWh power pack might soon hit the streets. If the listings are accurate, the Model S would get a whopping 380 miles on a charge -- no mean feat when the 90D can 'only' manage 294 miles. The Model X would likely have a shorter range given that the existing SUV officially tops out at 257 miles, but it's reasonable to say that you'd get over 300 miles on a charge.
Tesla Model X: The official SUV of the future
My eyeballs feel weird. It's the fault of Tesla's Ludicrous mode. With the feature enabled the Model X P90D is the world's fastest SUV -- launching from zero to 60 in 3.2 seconds. Sure that jolt of acceleration will fling you back into your seat, but what I wasn't prepared for was how the g-forces affected my eyes as the acceleration seemingly pushed my corneas into my skull. Like the car itself, it was at first unsettling, but once that feeling passed, it was a hell of a ride. Even with those ostentatious Falcon Wing doors.
Tesla ramps up production to meet aggressive delivery goals
In Tesla's second quarter earnings release (PDF), the company announced it had completed the design phase on the long-awaited Model 3 while also missing the mark on delivery numbers for current production models. Although CFO Jason Wheeler said on an accompanying conference call that Tesla is "clearly disappointed" about those deliveries, CEO Elon Musk was characteristically upbeat when talking about the future of his company as it launches part two of its Master Plan.
WSJ: SEC is investigating Tesla's fatal Autopilot crash
Tesla is facing another probe over the May 7th crash that killed the driver of a Model S that was cruising the streets on Autopilot. The Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into whether the company broke the law by failing to inform investors of the accident, according to The Wall Street Journal. Tesla told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the crash as soon as it found out. However, it wasn't able to notify investors about it and that it happened while the car was on Autopilot before it sold $2 billion in stock on May 18th and May 19th.
Mercedes to show its Tesla-fighting electric sedan in September
It's no secret that Mercedes-Benz eventually wants to compete with Tesla, not just partner with it, and you won't have to wait much longer to see how that rivalry shakes out. The company's David McCarthy tells Motoring.com.au that you should see a concept version of Merc's Tesla-beating electric sedan in September, or shortly before the Paris Motor Show. Its exact specs are a mystery (even McCarthy hasn't seen it; you're looking at the IAA Concept), but it should sit in the Model S' price bracket and offer similar driving range when it launches, most likely in 2018. There were previously teases that it would be "dangerously fast," in case there was any doubt that it would be a performance-minded ride.
Tesla will make as many EVs in 6 months as it did in all of 2015
Tesla isn't waiting for the Model 3 (or the Gigafactory) to be ready before it kicks its production into overdrive. The electric car pioneer now expects to build and deliver over 50,000 vehicles in the second half of 2016 -- that's as many as it built in all of 2015. It hopes to make 2,400 EVs per week by the end of the year, which is no mean feat when it made just under 2,000 a week in the spring. You can pin a lot of this on an "extreme" boost to production in the second quarter, where nearly half of the cars were made in the last month.
Police confirm DVD player found in Tesla Autopilot wreck
A day after we learned that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating a fatal crash involving Tesla's Autopilot feature, more details have emerged. The Florida Highway Patrol confirmed to Reuters that a portable DVD player was found in the wreckage. The driver of the truck that was crossing the highway when it was struck by the Model S told the Associated Press that the driver was playing a Harry Potter movie at the time. He said he could he could hear it playing after the car hit a telephone pole further down the road.
