#Tesla

The Tesla Cybertruck has finally made it to production, but hopeful buyers shouldn’t be jumping for joy just yet. The company has already confirmed that volume production won’t start until 2024, and if a new Twitter rumor is correct, the truck will only be available in one battery variant at launch.

We’ve been hearing for years that auto shows are a thing of the past and that the internet has killed the personal touches we all loved about the industry. But while it might be true that auto shows aren’t the extravaganzas they once were, it can also be true that there’s still life in the industry and a reason to attend. 

Tesla clearly isn’t just a car manufacturer anymore - it’s a buzzword. For some, it’s a synonym for disruption and innovation; for others, that disruption and innovation aren’t all that welcome. And Tesla’s existence is inextricably linked to politics, the ongoing “Full Self Driving” soap opera, and the Almighty’s gift to headline writers himself, Elon Musk. All of this tends to polarize people into “Love Tesla” and “Loathe Tesla” camps, but I think both camps would agree about the brand’s impact - the company has revolutionized the way mass-market cars are designed, powered, and sold.

Tesla appears to finally be ready to start deliveries of the Cybertruck, nearly four years after its reveal event. Despite the delays surrounding the truck and the elusive Roadster, Tesla has a number of side projects going on, including an electric minibus.

Tesla’s fortunes seem to have brightened in the last few weeks, as Ford, GM, and Rivian announced a switch to its Supercharger network and a new charging plug standard. Now it appears one of Tesla’s charging competitors is jumping on board, as ChargePoint recently announced the availability of the automaker’s NACS plugs at its locations. 

Tesla sparks controversy at almost every turn, but the company’s genius occasionally shines through. It’s becoming increasingly clear that Tesla’s Supercharger network is not only its competitive advantage in the EV space but is a significant asset that will help it remain the company to beat. After Ford, GM, and Rivian signed on to use Tesla’s NACS charging standard, the automaker’s home state of Texas issued new rules requiring that state-sponsored charging stations carry its plugs.

While most automakers were working out what their first all-electric model should be, Tesla was building up a proprietary charging network that helped assure that it would be the EV manufacturer other brands would envy. The vehicles themselves certainly became the benchmark for electric vehicles. But it was the network that guaranteed Tesla’s dominant position in the market. Simply having access to the Supercharger stations is one of the biggest perks of owning a Tesla, as they’re relatively common and suffer less downtime than rival networks.

Despite originally being exclusive to Tesla customers, the brand has decided to open its ports up to the whole world. Ford and General Motors have even signed agreements with the company so that their customers can utilize those charging stations in 2024. Now it appears to be Rivian’s turn.

We've reported on Ford and GM reaching agreements to use Tesla's EV charging standard.

So the obvious question is -- who's next?

It was only a few short days ago we brought you news of Ford announcing it will be granting its EVs the capability of hoovering electricity from Tesla-branded charging stations. If that news gave you whiplash, last night’s announcement of a similar move from General Motors will surely put yer back out.

Tesla often comes under fire for running its business far differently from other automakers, which can lead to interesting outcomes with vehicle performance. The latest story comes to us from a Tesla forum, where The Drive noticed users claiming that the company was removing the radar systems from their vehicles without asking.

On Tuesday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it was wrapping up its investigation into Tesla’s "Passenger Play" feature. The service originally offered occupants the ability to play a slew of video games while vehicles were in motion. But this was changed after the automaker felt pressure from federal regulators.

With rumors that Tesla’s Cybertruck is nearing production status, there’s been renewed interest in speculating about what the vehicle will be like. Suggestions have been made that the all-electric pickup’s body will need to be lightly restyled to adhere to certain safety regulations and curiosity has abounded regarding the truck’s interior design. Will it be as staid and minimalist as the cabin in the Model Y or would it include additional instrumentation like the Model X?

Thanks to some leaked photos, we appear to have our answer.

Ford hasn’t been shy about its ambitions to overtake Tesla as the leading EV producer in the U.S., but the two companies aren’t as angry with each other as you might think. Their chief executives recently sat down for a chat on Twitter Spaces and made a surprise announcement that has generated strong opinions from all corners of the automotive world: Ford EV owners will gain access to around 12,000 North American Tesla Superchargers starting next year.

For a while, it seemed like Tesla's values would never come back  to Earth. Buyers lucky enough to get a new EV from the automaker were flipping their cars for way more than the asking price, and many people overpaid as a result. Tesla started cutting prices earlier this year, making all models more attainable, and now the company has slashed the price of an entry-level Model 3 to below $40,000.

We mentioned yesterday that Tesla is going to advertise more. But does the company really need to?