Tesla announced the installation of its 55,000th Supercharger stall. This milestone achieved three and a half months after installing the 50,000th Supercharger, demonstrates the company’s commitment to revolutionizing transportation. It took just 110 days to open up 5,000 more Superchargers, which averages to over 45 new Supercharger stalls opening daily. Tesla is the “gas station” of the future.
A Pioneering Force in EV Charging
The growth of Tesla's Supercharger network, and the charging network in general, is crucial in addressing one of the primary concerns of potential EV owners: the availability and convenience of charging facilities. With Tesla consistently adding Superchargers at an unprecedented rate, the network has become a backbone for current and future Tesla drivers, offering fast, reliable, and widespread charging solutions.
Several sources back up the claim that Tesla Superchargers are the most reliable chargers available, including a JD Power report and user experiences collected by Rate Your Charge. Tesla also monitors their Superchargers in real-time, so that they can address any issues and minimize potential downtime.
Opening the Supercharger Network
While Tesla has made a lot of smart, strategic moves, opening the Supercharger network may go down as one of the best. The decision reflects Tesla's vision of a more sustainable transportation future. By opening up its superior North American Charging Standard (NACS) plugs to all competitors and even adding the Magic Dock to allow Combined Charging System (CCS) adapters, Tesla has made its Superchargers accessible to all EVs, truly making it the gas station of the future.
Major players like Ford, Toyota, Honda, GM, and almost all other automakers have announced plans to integrate NACS ports into their EVs and access Tesla's Supercharger network. This collaboration is a significant step towards overcoming the challenges of public charging and enhancing the EV experience for all users.
Tesla's achievement of 55,000 Superchargers and the opening of its network to non-Tesla EVs marks a new era in electric mobility. These developments signify Tesla's role as an EV manufacturer and a catalyst for industry-wide change. As Tesla continues to innovate and collaborate, it reinforces its commitment to a sustainable future, leading the charge in transforming global transportation.
A Testament to Tesla's Vision
The journey from 50,000 to 55,000 Superchargers has been swift and impactful. At its current rate, Tesla will be over 70,000 Superchargers by the end of 2024. Tesla's rapid expansion of its Supercharger network is more than just a numerical achievement; it's a bold statement of intent. This growth spurt highlights the company's dedication to making electric vehicle (EV) use convenient, reliable, and accessible worldwide.
Tesla’s Supercharger network, a cornerstone of its strategy to promote EV adoption, provides fast and efficient charging solutions. This network not only supports Tesla's growing fleet of electric vehicles but also encourages a shift in public perception, making the switch to EVs a more viable and attractive option for consumers across the globe.
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Tesla news, upcoming features and software updates.
A recent sighting at Giga Texas by drone operator and detail hound Joe Tegtmeyer has really caught our eye. A red Model Y was driving within the factory premises with its front and rear sections heavily camouflaged in Tesla’s standard black coverings. To top it off, there wasn’t just one, but two vehicles.
Tesla usually conceals vehicles when it has something to hide or test, and this timing suggests to us that a new variant of the world’s best-selling SUV is on its way. This leads us to two theories - a refreshed Model Y Performance or the anticipated, more affordable E41 Model Y.
Caught something interesting today … two heavily camouflaged cars driving on the W side of Giga Texas. Several viewers noted this in my short video on the autonomous drive.
— Joe Tegtmeyer 🚀 🤠🛸😎 (@JoeTegtmeyer) May 14, 2025
The front fascia, headlights, and hood are almost entirely obscured, with similar coverings applied to the rear, hiding the taillight design and bumper. This is a classic practice to keep new design elements under wraps before an official unveiling, and this is exactly what we saw with the Model 3 Highland and Model Y Juniper projects. The rest of the vehicle, including the central body and roofline, appear fairly consistent with the current Model Y.
Refreshed Model Y Performance?
One compelling possibility is that Tesla is preparing for the launch of the refreshed Model Y Performance. This speculation gains traction when we look at the launch of the refreshed Model 3 Performance. The Performance variant launched several months after the Long Range AWD and RWD variants and came with a bespoke front fascia. That fascia included air ducts for improved aerodynamics and brake cooling, helping to differentiate it both visually and by performance from other refreshed Model 3s.
It stands to reason that Tesla is preparing to launch the refreshed Model Y Performance. The extensive covering on the front fascia could be hiding a more aggressive, aerodynamically optimized bumper and air ducts to match the Model 3 Performance.
More Affordable Model Y?
Alternatively, this mystery vehicle could be the prototype of the previously discussed affordable variant of the Model Y, known as E41. Tesla has been working on further cost reductions for its highest volume vehicle, which includes cost-cutting components and features, as well as working on manufacturing efficiencies.
Tesla is focusing on making its existing models, like the Model Y, more affordable. In this case, the camouflage might be concealing simplified exterior features designed to help reduce production costs. This could include a revised front-end design, along with different headlights or taillight assemblies. Tesla could even forgo the distinctive front lightbar, as well as the afterburner-style rear lightbar, if it contributes to worthwhile savings.
This would be a step beyond the recently introduced Model Y Long Range RWD, which improves the vehicle’s range and lower the price by $4,000.
For now, the identity of this camouflaged Model Y remains a mystery. The fact that it is out and about at Giga Texas suggests that whatever changes Tesla has incorporated are significant enough to warrant covering up the front and rear of the vehicle.
Tesla’s FSD has made some truly incredible strides since V11, and since FSD V12.5, the experience has been hands-free for vehicles with a cabin camera.
However, a persistent point of frustration for many users is the strictness of the Driver Monitoring System (DMS), often referred to as the “nag.” In a recent interaction on X, Mike P detailed his grievances about how strict the DMS was.
This post drew a response from Elon Musk, who said, “You’re right.” Just a few days and a relatively unassuming point release later, Tesla has already decided to take action to improve its DMS.
The core issue here, which many who use FSD can attest to, isn’t about wanting to be irresponsible. Instead, it is about the current system’s sensitivity. The DMS can feel overly punitive for brief, normal interactions with the vehicle’s center display.
User Experience Woes
Mike P’s experience was common - you can’t even glance at the display to change the song or add a nav stop without the DMS warning you to pay attention.
If you continue, then you risk receiving a FSD strike. This leads to most drivers disabling FSD and typing their destination in while manually driving. For the casual observer, you can tell that it is clearly far more dangerous.
This highlights a safety paradox: a system designed to ensure attentiveness can sometimes lead to less safe workarounds. One must acknowledge that Tesla is in an odd position, being incredibly cautious about safety and ensuring it stays within NHTSA guidelines. However, the nag today is overkill in some situations, such as glancing at the center screen.
Tesla Confirms Change
Musk’s relatively concise answer resonated with his previous outlook on the matter. During Tesla’s Q1 2025 Earnings Call, he acknowledged that the DMS can be too strict and mentioned that Tesla is actively looking into ways to loosen those restrictions. He also pointed out the irony between the current system encouraging users to disengage FSD for simple tasks, only to re-engage it moments later - a less-than-safe cycle.
In a post on X, Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s VP of Autopilot AI, delivered welcome news. He confirmed that the latest FSD update, V13.2.9, includes a loosening of the cabin camera nag. This is an undocumented change, and one that we’re very excited to see.
This undocumented change is the latest step in Tesla’s overall plan forward Unsupervised FSD, which would drop the DMS completely. Previous updates, like the shift to vision-based driver attention monitoring in V12.4 and V12.5, aimed to balance safety with user experience.
What Does This Mean?
While the full extent of changes in V13.2.9 will become clearer as Software Update 2025.14.6 rolls out to more FSD users, the confirmation of loosened cabin camera nag suggests a few things.
This likely means greater tolerance for brief glances at the screen for essential tasks, whether it be adjusting climate settings, inputting a nav destination, or changing the current song. It could also include a potentially more forgiving threshold for looking away, especially in low-speed scenarios. The DMS does not ding you for using the display or looking away while the vehicle is waiting at a red light today, but Tesla could expand this to driving under 10 mph (16 km/h).
![Inside Tesla’s AI Genius: VP Ashok Elluswamy Talks FSD, AGI, and the Future [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2025/ashok_interview.png/0f2b3fb6e89a70255a0c6c31a2efa04f/ashok_interview.jpg)
![Tesla Updates Lane Departure Avoidance, Likely Now Using FSD Stack [Video]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/tesla-screen/lane-departure-warning.webp/bac626b9acadf88ee44775c5ee187c06/lane-departure-warning.jpg)
