Cybertruck Shows Up in Camo at Drive-Thru and in New Zealand in Recent Sightings [Video]

By Kevin Armstrong
The Cybertruck was spotted with this camouflage wrap
The Cybertruck was spotted with this camouflage wrap
@tenetenergy

As we approach the highly anticipated third-quarter launch date, the Cybertruck is nearing its final design, testing, and production stages.

Globetrotting Cybertruck Sightings

In recent weeks, the Cybertruck has caused quite a stir, popping up in locations far and wide. The most recent sighting was in New Zealand, where it's believed to be heading for intense winter testing. The significance of this location lies in its status as home to the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds. This ideal environment for winter testing, coinciding perfectly with New Zealand's peak winter period, provides an excellent opportunity for Tesla to fine-tune the vehicle's performance under challenging weather conditions.

Stateside, a camouflaged prototype (video below) was spotted at a drive-thru in California, subtly underscoring Tesla's intent to ensure the Cybertruck is a practical, user-friendly vehicle that fits into everyday scenarios while continuing to fuel excitement and intrigue around the vehicle's final design.

Gearing Up for Production

Tesla has an ambitious goal to churn out up to 375,000 Cybertrucks annually - a substantial increase from Musk's initial estimate of 250,000 units per year - stakeholders are eager to know if this target remains on track.

Tesla plans to have a delivery event in Q3 where they will deliver the first Cybertrucks to their customers.

Update: This article has been updated to remove references to a "technical progresss update" on the Cybertruck. We incorrected interpreted "CT" in Musk's recent tweet to mean Cybertruck, instead of Central Time. Musk's technical progress update this Thursday will be focused on Starship and Starlink.

Tesla Expected to Offer FSD Transfers in Europe

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

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.

A Fair Solution

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.

As the regulatory process continues at a snail's pace, many of these early supporters are now reaching or have already passed the point where they’re ready to upgrade to a new Tesla.

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.

Tesla Increases Robotaxi Fare Fee, Up from $4.20

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

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.

Context Matters

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.

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