Another image of what appears to be Tesla’s long-awaited Cybertruck has appeared on YouTube. Kim Java, a YouTuber with nearly 40 million views, told her viewers that someone sent her an image that looks like a big piece of Cybertruck.
You may recall a couple of months ago, YouTuber and drone pilot Joe Tegtmeyer posted video of two large, wrapped items, which could’ve been Cybertrucks, outside of the Gigafactory in Texas. But in the latest image, the covers are off, and we are given a lot of information about Tesla’s newest vehicle.
Java says the picture was taken in early December. The image appears to be inside a Tesla factory, presumably Texas, at a Powder Coating station. The company did report that Cybertruck was at the tooling stage in Texas during the third quarter earnings call.
No New Camping Experience
While it’s just one image, there is a big spoiler. The midgate, a rumored gate behind the back seats that would fold down does not appear to be happening. That spot is all megacast, making it next to impossible to add in at this stage. Not only would that allow for much longer items to be placed in the bed, it also eliminated what many were hoping would be a pretty unique camping experience.
Details on Materials
Java had to do a follow-up video after so much attention was given to the leaked image. She used information from Teslaratito give viewers more details that can be gathered from the picture. It appears to be two main parts put together, “one looked like a megacast and the other looked like it was hydroformed stainless steel,” reports Teslarati. It’s also pointed out that the megacast is much larger than the Model Y. Elon Musk has said that the Cybertruck would require the largest casting machine used to date.
Battery Issues
Java also said that a source told her, “the truck was designed to use the 4680 battery cells, but they’ve struggled with scaling up production in-house with those batteries,” that it could add more delays by the end of next year if they have to switch to 2170 cells to ramp up production.”
Finally, images like this from inside Tesla are very rare. Certainly, the company will be looking into it, and the worker seen in the image is looking directly at whoever is taking the photo. Hopefully, the leaked image doesn’t result in job losses as it has provided the Tesla community with much to talk about and proof that the Cybertruck is in production.
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It has been a long wait for FSD for European customers, many of whom paid for the feature years ago on now legacy hardware. While the FSD transfer program has come and gone multiple times, there’s something to be said about having it available in North America, where it can be used, and in Europe or other countries, where it still just remains the same as Enhanced Autopilot (differences between Autopilot, EAP, and FSD).
FSD Transfer is a nice goodwill gesture from Tesla that in theory doesn’t cost them anything. Instead, it keeps customers, especially those who have been waiting for years, loyal and happy. It also incentivizes them to upgrade to a newer Tesla with HW4, where FSD will hopefully be achieved.
In a reply to a post on X, Elon agreed with the suggestion that offering FSD transfers in Europe would be a fair solution for those who have already purchased FSD but can’t use its capabilities.
FSD Transfer directly addresses a growing concern for many long-term European Tesla owners. Thousands of customers purchased the full package, often many years ago, with the expectation that FSD would eventually be capable and approved for use. However, the reality is that FSD, even as an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), continues to be pushed back in Europe.
Without the transfer program, it's a difficult choice: either throw away your original investment in FSD and pay for the package a second time (FSD price history), or subscribe to it in the future.
Offering FSD transfers is a good way for Tesla to meet them halfway. It's a difficult situation, and one that’s being hindered by processes beyond the control of both the customer and Tesla. However, a transfer helps both parties. Tesla sells another vehicle, and the customer gets to keep FSD.
When Will it Be Available?
Based on how FSD transfers have worked in the past following Elon’s announcements, this feature is likely to become available for a limited time period in the coming days or weeks. If it happens, we should expect an announcement from Tesla Europe on X and emails being sent out to Tesla customers.
Once the program is in place, all you need to do is complete your vehicle purchase and then inform your Tesla sales advisor that you’d like to transfer FSD. You don’t even have to sell or trade in your old Tesla; FSD will simply be removed from it as a feature.
Hopefully, Tesla enables FSD Transfers for everyone, regardless of region. It should be an ongoing offer until at least FSD is approved in the given country or region.
The introductory price for Tesla’s Robotaxi Network has finally been updated. In a post on X, Elon Musk confirmed that the new fare would be rolling out to complement the new Robotaxi geofence expansion.
This change marks the first adjustment to Tesla’s fares since the initial $4.20 launch price 23 days ago. While the price increase may seem significant in terms of percentages, when compared to other options in the ride-hailing area, it is still drastically cheaper.
But the price is now a princely $6.90, as foretold in the prophecy 😂
Robotaxi currently operates on a simple, flat-rate model. The new $6.90 fare gets you a ride to anywhere within the recently expanded geofence.
So far, this is the opposite approach compared to other services, such as Waymo or traditional ride-sharing options like Uber and Lyft. All these services use dynamic pricing based on distance, time of day, and demand. A comparable trip on any one of these services could cost anywhere from $30 to $65, and potentially even higher during peak hours.
That doesn’t even include the tip fees for human drivers either - another win for Robotaxi (can you tip a Robotaxi?).
Even with the adjustment, the flat $6.90 fare remains less than half the price of a typical competing ride, making Robotaxi the most affordable point-to-point transportation option in Austin, aside from mass transit, for now.
A “Maturing” Service
The price change, moving from one meme-worthy number to another, is a sign that Robotaxi is finally graduating from its initial pilot phase. Following the first major expansion of the service area, this adjustment is a logical next step towards finding a more sustainable flat price.
While the new fare is a 65% increase over the old fare, the key takeaway is that it is still far cheaper than other options, and still just as meme-worthy. Tesla is aiming to have its early access riders complete as many rides as possible during these early months, and this pricing is still very reflective of that.