New Tesla Cybertruck Details Emerge: Bi-Directional Charging, Powered Frunk and More

By Kevin Armstrong
More details emerge on the Cybertruck
More details emerge on the Cybertruck
Ryan Zohoury

Deliveries for the Tesla Cybertruck will begin within the next three months. Apparently, some people have been able to test drive the stainless steel beast and wanted to share it with the world.

Matthew Donegan-Ryan, an active X.com user following Cybertruck closely, shared a treasure trove of details he claims came from someone who test-drove the Cybertruck earlier in the week.

The truck's performance is said to rival the Plaid Model X, with several insiders confirming the performance Cybertruck will harness the same tri-motor setup as the Plaid. That would explain why Elon Musk posted that the Performance version of Cybertruck kicks ass. This is thrilling news for those who've felt the power of the Plaid Model X.

Bi-directional Charging & 240v Outlet

One of the most intriguing features is its bi-directional charging, meaning it can receive and give back energy. This is paired with the inclusion of a 240v outlet. The utility implications here are vast, potentially allowing the Cybertruck to act as a power bank during blackouts or camping.

When quizzed about the range, details remain tight-lipped. However, Donegan-Ryan speculates the battery size could lie between 120 and 140 kWh, with a range slightly below the 500 miles announced during the prototype unveiling.

Powered Frunk

The frunk is so spacious that a man standing at 5'7" can lie down in it. This detail alone showcases the immense storage capacity the Cybertruck offers. And if you're wondering about its design, Donegan-Ryan mentions the frunk's power open/close mechanism, suggesting that it will be utilized far more often than in other Tesla models.

Rear Glass and Separate Bluetooth Audio

One feature for adventurers is that the mid-gate glass opens, although there are no HVAC ports in the bed. Although not ideal, this design makes camping in the bed viable with climate control. For those with families, a new feature that connects audio from the rear screen entertainment to Bluetooth headphones promises to be a game changer.

No Bullet Proof Windows

The interiors also don't disappoint. The seats in the Cybertruck are described as broader and more plush than the Model X Plaid's. With the floor carpeted like other Teslas, there's a distinct touch of luxury. We did notice that on a recent bizarre video shared online. Notably, the windows aren't bulletproof but feature double-glazed quiet windows like the new Model 3 for a serene driving experience.

Tailgate Ramp Gets Dropped

However, contrary to some rumors, the tailgate has no built-in ramp. The suspension promises to be more comfortable than the S/X models, and the turning radius is reported to be outstanding. In a nod to its rugged appeal, the Cybertruck's clearance levels on the suspension show the actual height instead of the typical low/medium/high settings. For example, the high setting stands at 14.5 inches.

Spare Tire

Finally, a nod to traditional truck features: the Cybertruck will be equipped with a spare wheel, an array of tow and trailer modes, and a bed equipped with three outlets.

Delivery Event

One last tidbit: the Cybertruck delivery event has been set. However, when it is remains a mystery. Tesla holds its third-quarter earnings call on October 18, which would provide a perfect audience to make the delivery date public.

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Tesla Adds Ability to Swipe Left and Right in Browser

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Tesla has made a spate of improvements to its vehicle software recently, starting with the big Spring Update, and then the Summer Update more recently. While we see most of the updates mentioned in the release notes, Tesla often also adds smaller quality-of-life improvements along the way.

Browser Controls

When using the Tesla Browser in the vehicle, you can now swipe left and right to go back or forward a page in your browser history. When you start swiping on the screen, Tesla’s Chromium-based browser will now display an arrow that slides out from the left or right. The circular icon is initially white, meaning that the action won’t be executed, but if you continue moving to the left/right, the icon will eventually turn blue. The blue icon means that the action will be executed once you let go of the screen.

This is a simple quality-of-life improvement that makes using the built-in browser easier.

We’re happy to see updates like these come to the browser, whose last major feature was the full-screen button that was added in update 2024.14.

Future Browser Improvements

While we’re on the topic, let’s look at some future Tesla web browser improvements we’d love to see.

Access to the Mic

Full access to the vehicle microphone isn’t allowed through the web browser right now. That means if you want to get into a Discord, Slack, or Teams call, you’ll only be able to listen – not speak. All of these apps fully function in the Tesla browser for sending messages, but are fairly limited for meetings.

Better Bookmarks

Tesla’s current bookmark system is simple and barebones. You can bookmark a page and give it a name. Once you visit a bookmarked page enough, it’ll show up as an icon in the center of the browser when you go to the homepage.

However, it's difficult to keep a larger set of bookmarks since there aren’t any organizational tools provided. A better bookmark system or the ability to sync bookmarks would be a welcomed feature.

Custom Homepage

Tesla’s current homepage in its browser is simply just a Tesla logo in black or white, depending on whether your car is in dark mode or not. A custom homepage that provides widgets with basic local news, stock information or other details would be fantastic. We’d ask for weather too, but the recent Summer update shows weather at the top of your screen.

If you’ve got more ideas for the fairly barebones Tesla web browser, let us know.

Tesla Updates FSD Package, Can Now Only Buy FSD Supervised

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Tesla has changed how they advertise and sell Full Self-Driving on their website. Although the text changes are small, this change could have greater implications in the future.

Previously, customers were offered the option to purchase “Full Self-Driving Capability,” with text saying that FSD will “continuously improve”. This specific text is no longer offered, and instead, customers can now only purchase “Full Self Driving (Supervised),” which no longer mentions continuous improvement.

You can view the old text on the Web Archive page (photo below) for the Model Y. This change comes right before the upcoming Robotaxi event, so we’re not quite sure what to make of it. Let’s look at what else has changed on Tesla’s website on FSD before we dive into the wording changes.

This news comes hot on the heels that Tesla recently pulled its blog pages for Elon Musk’s Masterplan Part II, which mentioned that all future Tesla vehicles would be Robotaxi capable. However, this has since turned out to be part of regular website trimming and maintenance. However, this FSD change is more intentional.

The previous FSD option you could buy from Tesla (left), and the new one (right)
The previous FSD option you could buy from Tesla (left), and the new one (right)
Not a Tesla App

Definition Changes

These text changes are pretty broad, but that’s not all. There are a few other items that changed, including the removal of the following text:

The activation and use of these features are dependent on achieving reliability far in excess of human drivers as demonstrated by billions of miles of experience, as well as regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions. As these self-driving features evolve, your car will be continuously upgraded through over-the-air software updates.

This has now been changed to say:

The activation and use of these features are dependent on development and regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions.

That’s a pretty big difference overall, so let’s dig in.

Can Only Buy FSD (Supervised)

Tesla is now only offering the purchase of “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)”, instead of “Full Self-Driving Capability." This has a bit of an implication for the many people who have paid for FSD in the past, expecting their vehicles to become fully autonomous, without supervision being required. With the specific terms on Tesla’s website today, that promise doesn’t seem to be in place for future sales of Full Self-Driving.

Instead, future customers should expect that they may only receive Full Self-Driving (Supervised), which will always require some form of supervision. Tesla no longer states full autonomy on this page, but on the other hand, the Autopilot/FSD Support Page still contains the text for full autonomy.

This seems to be a legal wording change to prevent Tesla from making promises it may not be able to fulfill. On the other hand, Tesla has recently had a fantastic spate of updates this year, with the huge upgrade from FSD V11 to FSD V12. However, they’ve more recently had more trouble with moving on from FSD V12.3.6, which is what most vehicles are still on today. Tesla initially pushed FSD V12.4 and its subversions to early access testers but quickly halted that push. They moved on to FSD V12.5, and V12.5.3 with Actually Smart Summon will begin going out wide sometime next week, to both Hardware 3 and AI4 vehicles.

What Does This Mean for Customers?

For future customers, this likely means that Tesla is intending on only offering Full Self Driving (Supervised), rather than Full Self Driving. This could mean that Tesla will launch a new package for Full Self Driving (Unsupervised) for commercial entities or that it could only be available for Robotaxi vehicles.

For older customers – those who have purchased “Full Self-Driving Capability”, as the feature was previously called, we’re not quite sure whether Tesla will include you in this new ‘Supervised’ description, or if you’ll be offered Full Self-Driving (Unsupervised) when that ultimately becomes available. As for subscribers, Tesla can change their offerings at any point since you’re only paying for what’s available for that month.

Today, we’re not quite sure what to make of this change, especially since that same change hasn’t been reciprocated elsewhere on Tesla’s website. The changes could be anywhere from a protective legal change, to Tesla offering a new FSD (Unsupervised) package in the future, or fully autonomous FSD being something that Tesla will not commit a date or price to.

Let us know what you think in the forums.

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