Musk Shares Additional Details on the Rollout of FSD Beta v11.3

Tesla is getting ready to release a major update to FSD Beta

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Elon Musk has provided additional details on Tesla's long-awaited FSD Beta v11. Unfortunately, the timeline is not as firm or straightforward as it may have appeared a week ago. As a result, many eagerly awaiting the latest FSD may be disappointed that the program is still not out, but the amount of testing could show how advanced the update will be.

Twitter user @WholeMarsBlog posted a video of a drive using version FSD Beta 10.69.25.2, which has received one million views and shows the system working flawlessly without any driver input. In response to the tweet, Musk said:

"FSD 11.3 is close to limited release. Just drove it through SF & LA yesterday. Probably 11.3.2 is able to go wide."

Tesla Testing in Phases

There is a lot to unpack in those 114 characters. They confirm that v11.3 will go to employees, as per usual protocol. Then it will likely go to a small group of testers, possibly the original couple of thousand, not the more than 400,000 drivers who have or subscribe to FSD.

The next clue is that the version that will be going to everyone is .2, not .1. This would indicate V11.3 will gather data from a small group of testers to make any adjustments, and then 11.3.1 will go out to a slightly wider audience. Only after all those bugs are fixed, and the Tesla team is satisfied will 11.3.2 be released to the masses.

Major Roll Outs Have Been Staggered

If history repeats itself, we could be looking at about a month before V11.3 rolls out to most testers. For example, when FSD Beta v10.12 was being tested, subsequent updates were issued a few days to a week after the last release. Still, it took almost a month from when the first version was released to testers to when the majority of testers received the wide-release beta, which was FSD Beta v10.12.2.

@WholeMarsBlog, a long-time FSD tester, added more context in a tweet: "At first, FSD Beta V11 may be worse and less stable in many ways, but as it matures, it will enable much better driving than was ever possible in V10. Tesla will first release to all Tesla employees. It will stay with Tesla employees for at least 24 hours — currently, only a small group of employees have it. If no major issues are discovered at that point, it will go to a few customers."

Twitter user @amyserwinowski summed it up best with this tweet: "I think V10 is pretty good. They should not rush V11 out."

We've already seen the release notes for FSD Beta V11 that was released to some employees back in November 2022, but there may be even more included in V11.3. We hope to see the first sightings and release notes for FSD Beta V11.3 this weekend or early next week.

Tesla Improves Wrap Services: Switches to Vinyl, Cuts Prices Drastically, Adds New Colors and Expands Availability

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After canceling the in-house wrap program for the Cybertruck last month, Tesla has reintroduced the program with a lot of changes. Let’s take a look at the original program, then we’ll dive into what’s changed.

Tesla began the wrap program for the Model 3 and Model Y in the fall of 2023. With the arrival of the Cybertruck, Tesla launched Matte Black and Satin White options for the Cybertruck and later added 11 more colors.

Tesla initially offered high-quality PPF (Paint Protection Film) wraps, which protect the paint in addition to changing the color of the vehicle. PPF is thicker than traditional vinyl wraps, but the material costs more and is more time-consuming to apply.

Tesla’s updated program switches away from PPF wraps and now offers traditional vinyl wraps at a cheaper price. This makes Tesla’s wrap service more comparable to third-party installers.

Correction: We initially reported that the new wrap program offered PPF rather than vinyl and that the program was only available for new deliveries.

New Wrap Prices

First things first - the price of the wraps has dropped considerably, mostly due to the change away from PPF. While these prices are still a little more expensive than what you could find at a third-party location, you have the advantage of getting it directly from Tesla.

Tesla initially offered 11 wrap colors, but that selection has now been reduced to eight per vehicle. Interestingly, the color options vary by model—Model 3 and Model Y owners have their own distinct palette. The Cybertruck also boasts its own unique set of colors, though unfortunately, the popular Satin White option is absent from its catalog.

Of course, the ever-popular Matte Black is still available, along with a fairly unique set of other vivid colors.

New Locations

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When the wrap program launched, it was limited to just three locations in California and one location in Texas. That meant that unless you were taking delivery at West Covina, Oceanside, Costa Mesa, or Santa Clara, you’d be unable to get a first-party wrap done by Tesla.

Under the new program, Tesla is offering wraps out of all the original locations and adding Seattle, Washington. What initially seemed like Tesla scaling back its wrap service has turned out to be them making it more affordable and efficient. While the switch to vinyl may disappoint some owners, in reality, a lot of owners probably didn’t know the difference between PPF and vinyl, making Tesla’s service seem disproportionally more expensive.

No Longer New Purchases Only

While the original wrap program was constrained to new vehicle purchases—you can now have Tesla wrap a vehicle that’s already been delivered. Paint damage and scuffs can impact the installation of wraps and require additional time to smooth out the vehicle surface, and most third-party installers charge additional fees to prepare the surface.

Tesla doesn’t appear to be charging any additional surface prep fees at this time and is able to install on any Model 3, Model Y, or Cybertruck that’s been delivered after 2023.

Either way, with cheaper wrap options, Tesla is now directly competing against third-party wrap shops. While it’s still a bit more expensive than you’d find elsewhere, it also comes with a level of care and precision from technicians intimately familiar with your vehicle.

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Tesla Increases Price of Model S; Starts Offering Free Lifetime Supercharging

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For the first time in quite a while, Tesla has increased the price of one of its vehicle offerings. The Model S Long Range and the Model S Plaid have both received a hefty price increase. However, not all is bad - as Tesla also added a new benefit for buyers.

Price Increase

The price increase for the Model S is $5,000 - currently only in the United States. This price increase will likely impact other markets, including Canada, in the coming days.

The Model S Long Range now starts at $79,990, while the Model S Plaid now starts at $94,990. The Model S and Model X now have the same starting price. Interestingly, that’s also the same pricing point for the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast Trimotor non-Foundation Series. 

The vehicle configuration does not appear to have changed, so the new pricing is simply an increase rather than the addition or removal of features. Tesla previously cut the price of the Model S and Model X by 15% in 2023, so this could simply be an adjustment to ensure that the vehicle pricing stays in line with inflation and other factors.

Free Lifetime Supercharging

For those on the fence about ordering a Model S, Tesla has brought back Free Lifetime Supercharging when you order a new Model S on or after December 13, 2024. As always, Free Lifetime Supercharging is restricted to the buyer’s Tesla account and to that specific vehicle. It cannot be transferred to another vehicle or another owner after ownership transfer. It’s worth noting, that it also doesn’t exclude the owner from receiving Supercharger idle fees or congestion fees. There is currently no end date for this promotion.

There are currently no changes to the Model X, neither a price increase nor the addition of Lifetime Superchargering. However, when Tesla makes changes to one of their premium vehicles, it usually affects the other one as well. So be on the lookout for potential changes to the Model X offering in the coming days.

We’ve seen Tesla value Lifetime Supercharging at $5,000, so this falls in line with the price increase we’re seeing. It’s possible that Tesla will begin to bring back Lifetime Supercharging as a perk for buying into their more premium Model S and Model X cars, or this could be another temporary promotion to get buyers who are on the fence to go ahead and make their purchase while this promotion lasts.

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