Tag Archives: tesla
Tesla Model S and X Will Receive Interior Refresh
Tesla hasn’t been paying much attention to the Model S and the Model X because the company has been busy fast-tracking the production of the Model 3, the latest in its line of electric vehicles.
According to the images published by Electrek, however, the larger sedan and the SUV models are due for an interior refresh. This is great news for those who still want to spend their money on either a Model S or a Model X because they will be getting the same spartan interiors as the Model 3.
We hope you certainly like how the Model 3 looks like in the cabin because that’s exactly how the interiors of the new Model S and Model X will look like. The images published show a horizontal touchscreen unit that replaces the vertical screen we have found endearing in the Model S and Model X from the beginning. The unit looks thinner than the Model 3’s screen with ultra-thin bezels. Since this was the latest intel we got from Tesla, it looks like the dashboard of the Model S and X will look better than the one in the Model 3.
Interior of the Model 3
The cockpit will also be similar to the Model 3 with its single-vent design and the center gauge cluster removed for a minimalist display readout.
The new spartan interior looks less luxurious than what we’ve come to love about the Model S and the Model X, which are both geared for the higher market than the Model 3. But the refresh will reportedly give both cars access to premium materials such as new seat cushions, additional front storage, and a wireless phone charger.
This latest move from Tesla is part of an effort to catch up with other premium brands that offer electric vehicles, too. The final designs are going to be released next year, so everything can still change and we might face a better interior upgrade for the Model S and X.
Tesla Reveals Model 3 Performance Prices, Specs
Tesla just unveiled new details about the performance variant of the Tesla Model 3. Tweets from both Tesla CEO Elon Musk and the company itself claimed that the fastest version of the compact sedan will offer BMW M3-beating speed and handling.
According to Musk, the Model 3 Performance will be “15% quicker & with better handling” than BMW’s M3. It boasts that it can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds and it has a top speed of 155 mph. The boldest claim from Tesla? The new Model 3 Performance will “beat anything in its class on the track.”
The company has not released the official power output for the car yet, but the Model 3 will use a dual motor setup—one powering each axle and running individually from the other. This means that if the other motor breaks, the car would still be drivable, thanks to the other motor.
The claimed range is 310 miles, but it will be possible to have 170 miles more in 30 minutes, thanks to Tesla’s Superchargers. Model S owners will get that for free, but Model 3 drivers would have to pay for that service.
On the outside, the Model 3 Performance will get the larger set of 20-inch wheels and they will house upgraded brakes. There’s also a carbon fiber lip spoiler that will improve the car’s rear downforce, but no official figures have been released yet.
Inside, the Model 3 Performance has a single 15-inch touchscreen that features live traffic updates and over-the-air updates. The seats are heated and they are trimmed in black and white leather. A panoramic glass roof will also come as standard.
The Model 3 Performance will have a starting price of $78,000, excluding the Autopilot system. production of the Model 3s will begin in 2019.
Tesla Model 3 Starts Offering “Summon” Feature
#model3 $TSLA @tesla @elonmusk amazing pic.twitter.com/W6UPQjCBjy
— 28_delays_later (@28delayslater) July 1, 2018
The Tesla Model S and the Model X have been enjoying the self-parking Summon feature for quite some time now. But finally, it has arrived in the Tesla Model 3, as announced by the company in a tweet.
Tesla said on Twitter, “Summon [is] now available in the Model 3.”
Apparently, news and press releases are not the venues where we’re going to learn new updates about Tesla. Everything’s on Twitter these days, so better stick with following Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The Summon feature allows cars to park autonomously without anyone in the car. No one is also remotely controlling the car. This is a huge help when you need to park the car in a very tight space and very close to a wall or a pillar. Getting out of the car is not a problem anymore since you could simply stand and watch your car park itself. Neat, right?
If programmed to do so, the system can even open and close the garage door as it parks and powers down. It can be called out by the owner, too, making it far easier for the driver to get in the car after it has been parked in a tight space.
The tweet was a response to a video posted by Twitter handle @28delayslater, showing the Model 3 parking itself in a tight space in a home garage. The garage door also closed behind it. Mr. Musk replied to the video tweet, saying “Note, no one is in the car or controlling remotely. [The] Car is driving entirely by itself.”
Similar with other Tesla models, the Model 3 can add new features and upgrade existing ones through over-the-air software. Yes, that’s right. There’s no need to bring the car to a dealer and have the system installed. All you need is a pretty strong connection and you’re good to go. Interestingly, this move of downloading software over the air is being adopted by other automakers.
Tesla Model Y To Be Revealed On March 15
There are some pretty outrageous things that have been said on Elon Musk’s Twitter account, and another crazy claim from the Tesla CEO is that the Model Y will be revealed on March 15. Yes, as in 10 months from this date.
When Musk said that the reveal date is on March 15, Twitter handle @DMC_Ryan remarked that the date was “oddly specific” and that he cannot tell if the Tesla CEO is serious or not. Musk answered, “I just made that up, because the Ides of March sounded good” but followed it up with “But consider it real.” He added that Tesla could unveil the Model Y anytime from late 2018 to middle of next year, so March 15 sounds about right.
That’s a pretty big window for a schedule, considering that there is still a lot of drama surrounding the Model 3’s production. Tesla can’t even settle the production issues of the Model 3 and then, there’s the Tesla Semi. Throwing in the Model Y into the fray is a bit crazy, but nothing is crazier than Tesla, Musk, and their production and delivery dates all thrown together.
If the Model Y will debut on March 15, it will begin its production by mid-2020, barring other issues. Of course, we’re all assuming that the Model Y’s production will befall the same fates as the Model S, the Model X, and the Model 3, all of which suffered from delays in production and delivery.
There is no hate here. We’re just pointing out the obvious that Tesla has made some erroneous promises in the past and have not kept them. With Tesla’s past representative of what could happen, it certainly means we will encounter some trouble along the way. But since we’re pretty excited about this small electric SUV, we’re hoping Musk will finally make true his overzealous timeframe.
Production of Tesla Model Y SUV Moves To 2020
Photo Source: Avarvarii via AutoExpress
Amid growing concerns that Tesla is taking in more than it is capable of, its CEO, Elon Musk, revealed that the production for the Tesla Model Y SUV will officially be moved to 2020. Initially, the plan is for the Model Y SUV to join Tesla’s lineup sometime in 2019.
This information was revealed during a heated investors’ meeting wherein Musk revealed the $710-million net loss because of struggles to produce the Tesla Model 3, which future owners have paid reservations for almost two years ago.
The Model Y will be a new crossover from the Californian EV company. This is a “crucial step” to the second stage of Tesla’s “Master Plan,” which aims to move the firm and expand its current lineup with a second-generation Roadster and commercial vehicle entries, including an all-electric pick-up and a full-sized Tesla Semi truck.
Through its plans of producing smaller SUVs aka crossovers, Tesla is gearing up itself to enter a blooming auto market. The cheaper and smaller offering will allow Tesla to truly enter the true volume vehicle manufacturer’s market.
Musk has been vocal about his excitement for the Tesla Model Y SUV, and has even released an official teaser image of the Model Y’s design last year. It might be similar to the Model X SUV’s form and function, though the Model Y will be smaller. It might even have that Falcon-wing-style doors that Musk initially promised. Other design cues from the Model 3 could be carried over such as the flat, grille-free front end.
Officially, the Model Y will sit under the Model X in Tesla’s range as the second and smallest SUV, but it would also make sense for Tesla to market the Model Y as a Model 3 crossover rather than a smaller Model X. The upcoming Model Y will use the same platform as the Model 3, meaning it might also have the same drivetrains— 220-mile Standard and 310-mile Long Range launch editions.
Take A Look At The Tesla Model 3 EV’s Debut In Beijing
Tesla is giving Beijing a taste of its Model 3 as the latest EV vehicle from Elon Musk’s company made its debut at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show. This came ahead of the official launch of the Tesla Model 3 in China and also before the company receives full authority to produce the vehicle in the market.
This is not the first Tesla Model 3 in the country, of course. Rich private citizens have already started importing the vehicle from the US, which is not recommended given the many different specifications in terms of wattage and outputs in the vehicle. We do know that US and China do not share the same power capacities and even format.
Still, the vehicle debuting at the Beijing Auto Show is the first one that Tesla itself brought to the Asian giant. But while Tesla is already introducing the vehicle to the Chinese market, it won’t be seen in dealerships until next year, when it will have its official launch.
Reportedly, Tesla Model 3 will be available as an import from the US first much like the Model S and Model X. Tesla is working on domestically manufacturing the vehicles to save on cost and reduce the final price of the vehicle. Practically, this is a good move both for Tesla and the Chinese market. Logistic costs and import fees could double the cost of a vehicle that is essential in helping Chinese commuters reduce their carbon footprint.
Currently, Tesla’s import duties is at 25%. This effectively limits the company’s demand in the world’s largest automotive market, though reports pointed out that Tesla’s presence has grown significantly. To keep growing (it has the lead in foreign electric car sales in China), Tesla has to somehow convince the Chinese government to allow it to produce the vehicle domestically.
Elon Musk To Push Through With Tesla Model Y
Elon Musk’s Tesla is making the ambitious plan to commence production of its Model Y in November 2019. Reports from Reuters said that Musk is accepting preliminary bids for supplier contracts of the Tesla Model Y, which will be a more affordable version of the Model X.
The Model Y was first teased at Tesla’s Annual Shareholder meeting in 2017. That time, Musk said that the Model Y will be built on an entirely new platform. But the Tesla CEO recently admitted that feat was ambitious and the Model Y will instead be using the same architecture as the Model 3, Tesla’s latest production car.
If the production of the Model Y will continue, that will be in November 2019 at the Fremont factory in California. Two years after, the production will move to China.
This may sound all too exciting, but remember that Tesla is under fire now for its issues with the production of Model 3. What’s up with that, anyway? The sedan had 500,000 initial orders in refundable deposits in July last year. The company, however, failed to deliver the cars on time. There was an initial promise for these to be ready by November 2017, but that did not come into fruition.
Earlier this month, Tesla tried to convince investors and the general public that the production was getting better, doubling during the first quarter of 2018 and increasing to 5000 units per week in the second quarter.
As for the Tesla Model Y, the “ultimatum” is November 2019, which means that the company might skip the pre-production phase at all. We’re hoping these reports are false because safety is very important in these electric vehicles. A Model X crashed because of the Autopilot feature’s failure, so it makes no sense for Tesla to escalate the production of the Model Y when there are still clear issues with its previous model.
2019 Jaguar I-Pace Giving Tesla A Run For Its Money
Oh, there’s nothing much here except Jaguar revealed that its all-electric I-Pace is due to be released and distributed next year. That only means one thing: Tesla’s monopoly of the EV market is done and over. For years, whenever some rich dude wanted a cool, sexy, functional, and reliable electric vehicle, all he has to choose from are Tesla products. That’s about to change now.
If there’s anything we learned from Tesla regarding EVs it’s that an electric car must have a long driving range and the recharging of battery must be convenient. Now that luxury automakers like Jaguar dipped their well-engineered minds into the market, Tesla will have serious competitions in this market. The new 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is the first luxury EV to roll into distributorship.
Two e-Machines
According to reports, the I-Pace is going to be powered by two electric motors, or e-machines in Jaguar jargon. The first one is responsible for driving the front wheels and the second one will be driving the rear wheels through concentric drive transmissions. The I-Pace is a pure electric five-passenger luxury crossover SUV with a standard all-wheel drive.
Everything is developed in-house at Jaguar, including the permanent magnet motors, the battery concept and design, and the software that controls the powertrain and manages the battery. There’s no confirmation from the luxury automaker about the outputs for the I-Pace, but Patel confirmed that it will have an output of 400 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. It will also have a range of 300 miles before a recharge is needed.
There are no details yet about the pricing, but Jaguar said that it will release the list on March 6, 2018, which isn’t really too far from where we are now. Once it goes on sale, the I-Pace will be offered in three trim levels: S, SE, and HSE. There’s, of course, a limited production First Edition version that will be priced higher than the actual production model.
