Model S
Hacker Leaks Tesla's Plan for a P100D with 100 kWh Battery
According to Hughes, “there have been configuration options in the firmware as early as about two months ago. With the latest 2.13.77 update [Tesla] included the badges for the P100D, among other things. I’m very confident that it’s a real thing based on what I’ve seen of other things in previous versions of the firmware. For example, the ’90’ was in the firmware for some time prior to release looking at historic versions of the firmware acquired from other salvage [center displays]”
Tesla Model S Update Improves Safety of Its Summon Feature
Consumer Reports has long advocated for "deadman's switches," and we believed that the Tesla Summon feature should have one, as well. In this case the user would always have a finger on the app or keyfob in order for the car to keep moving. Drop the controller or take your finger off the keyfob or smartphone for any reason, and the car should stop. In response, Tesla promised to send an update out wirelessly to all Model S’s. Our P85D received its update on February 26, and we have evaluated it to see if the fix addresses our concerns.
Tesla: Virginia Dealership Lawsuit is Without Merit
Tesla Motors says it will vigorously defend a lawsuit filed by the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association (VADA) that seeks to stop the all-electric automaker from opening a second store in the state. The lawsuit filed Wednesday by VADA claims Tesla and the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles commissioner Richard D. Holcomb violated a 2013 agreement that the automaker could not own or operate a second dealership in the state until August 2017
Tesla Introduces New 19" 'Slipstream' Wheel
Tesla quietly updated their Model S configuration page sometime Friday night with the addition of new 19″ ‘Slipstream’ wheels. The long-standard 19″ 5-spoke wheel design was unceremoniously removed from the page and replaced with the new standard offering in silver.
Model X
Tesla Model X ramp up accelerating, owners reporting having received VIN 5,000 and up
After delivering only a few hundreds Model X’s late last year, there’s been doubts about the current state of production ramp up of Tesla’s new all-electric SUV. We now learn that several reservation holders who turned their reservations into orders are now receiving Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) as high as 5,000 and up, which could indicate a significant acceleration of the production ramp up.
Most of those vehicles are entering production and are set to be delivered in the coming weeks. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Tesla will have produced ~5,000 Model X units by the end of the current quarter since the company issues VINs in batches, but it is still a decent indicator of an increasing production capacity.
Tesla “couldn’t flip” the Model X in internal crash tests: a look at the Model X’s safety features
Tesla claimed they couldn’t even “flip” the Model X during testing, according to Dougherty analyst Andrea James who recently talked with the company. ... Tesla expects the Model X to not only get a 5-star rating for rollover injury risk, but also to have about half the probability of injury for a rollover accident than the next best SUV (rollover is often the main problem for SUVs in term of safety).
Does Tesla's Model X Live Up to the Hype?
Dougherty & Co. Analyst Andrea James weighs in on Tesla's Model X.
Other News
Tesla and SpaceX excel at providing meaningful work
"Meaningful work at tech companies. Congrats to #1 @SpaceX and #2 @TeslaMotors. I think this is the root of success." - Steve Jurveston
Print your own Supercharger smartphone charger
We are living in a age where you just need a file and a 3D printer to create amazing things. So if you would like to print your own desk supercharger - I am happy to share the files open-source.
Promotion
Ride the Lightning: Tesla Motors Unofficial Podcast
If you listen to podcasts on your commute or run, check out Ryan McCaffrey's unofficial Tesla Motors podcast. He publishes the podcast every week and he does a great job.