Uber Now Offering Discounts to Switch to Teslas

January 17, 2024

By Kevin Armstrong

Uber-Tesla partnership benefits

Not a Tesla App

Uber has partnered with Tesla to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles among its drivers in the United States. This collaboration aligns with Uber's ambitious goal of achieving emission-free operations in U.S. and Canadian cities by 2030.

Incentivizing EV Adoption: The Uber-Tesla Strategy

Uber, which uses Tesla’s API for a range-based trip planner, offers its drivers exclusive purchase incentives of $2,000 for Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y vehicles to incentivize this shift towards greener transportation. This initiative not only complements existing federal tax credits but also addresses drivers' concerns regarding the affordability and accessibility of electric vehicles.

Andrew Macdonald, Uber's Senior Vice President of Mobility and Business Operations, highlighted the significance of this partnership, telling Reuters, "We know from listening to Uber drivers that the cost of ownership and access to convenient charging are the top two barriers preventing them from going electric." By collaborating with Tesla, Uber aims to tackle these challenges head-on, making electric vehicles a more feasible option for its drivers.

Under this initiative, drivers can use a special referral code to purchase Tesla vehicles directly from the factory or from available inventory, subject to availability. To qualify for the incentives, drivers must complete the purchase by March 31 and fulfill a requirement of completing 100 trips by May 15.

Future Strategies and Sustainability Goals

In addition to financial incentives, Uber has also started hosting test drive events at Tesla stores, offering drivers firsthand experience with Tesla's EVs. This allows drivers better to understand the benefits and features of electric vehicles, potentially influencing their decision to switch to a more sustainable mode of transportation.

However, this green journey is not without its challenges. The recent announcement by Hertz to sell off about 20,000 Teslas and revert to gas vehicles highlights the complexities and evolving nature of the automotive and transportation industries. This decision by Hertz underscores the need for continued innovation, adaptability, and resilience in pursuing sustainable transportation solutions.

Another critical aspect of this collaboration involves Uber sharing data with Tesla regarding the charging needs of its drivers. Focusing initially on New York City, this data exchange aims to identify areas where charging infrastructure is most needed, particularly in regions where drivers frequently operate. This strategic approach ensures that charging solutions are effectively deployed, addressing one of the primary barriers to EV adoption among Uber drivers.

As of last year, Uber reported having approximately 74,000 active EV drivers across the United States, Canada, and Europe. This partnership with Tesla represents a significant step forward in increasing that number, as it not only makes EVs more accessible to drivers but also contributes to the broader goal of reducing carbon emissions in urban areas.

Tesla Says 12V Power Socket Access Will Not Return With Sentry Mode

October 9, 2024

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

It turns out that the big undocumented change in Tesla update 2024.32 that disables the 12V power and USB ports while Sentry Mode is active is not a bug but an intentional change.

A fan contacted Tesla Service to see if the change was intentional and what the reason behind the change was. Surprisingly, they received a response pretty quickly.

No 12V Power Access

Tesla has decided to restrict 12V power access for safety reasons—namely, to “reduce the likelihood of thermal events” when third-party devices are left powered on without users present. Tesla reached out to the fan in question by phone, and they seemed to be sticking to that line.

It seems that Tesla is resolute that it was due to safety reasons and that the change would not be “fixed” or allowed in a future software update – as this was an intentional change for safety reasons.

Other sources have reported that the change was due to potential misuse of the 12V power access, with people wiring 1200w microwaves and kettles or jury-rigging 240v to 120v adapters, which had apparently been the cause of multiple fires in Tesla vehicles within China.

Workarounds

There are a couple workarounds, although neither are ideal. You can tap in to the vehicle’s 12v line directly to power your accessories, or you can use Camp Mode.

If you choose to enable Camp Mode, then you’ll need to manually lock the car from the app since walk-away door locking is disabled with Camp Mode. However, Camp Mode will use extra energy to keep the climate system enabled.

We’re still hoping Tesla considers bringing the Cybertruck’s Power Control menu to the rest of its vehicles and is somehow able to limit the max draw from these outlets to prevent dangerous situations.

Join Our Tesla Robotaxi Event Prediction Contest

October 9, 2024

By Karan Singh

Tesla

With the Robotaxi event just a day away, we thought it would be a fun idea to run a contest to predict what Tesla will announce tomorrow evening.

We’ve outlined a list of questions below; simply answer them on our forums or social media (X or Threads), and be entered for a chance to win some great prizes.

The individuals who have the most correct answers will win one of five prizes mentioned below. If more than five people get them all right, a random drawing will be held from the pool of winners.

We’ll reach out to the winners either by email or by DM on social media.

The Questions

Will Tesla let attendees experience Robotaxi at the event?
Will Tesla first start the network with human supervision (ridesharing), or with Robotaxis only?
What year will the network start? When will it become fully autonomous? (if announced)
When will Robotaxi production begin? (if announced)
Will it be Robotaxi or Cybercab?
Which of these Robotaxi Concepts will be the closest to the one announced?
Will Robotaxi include:
1. Front-facing camera?
2. Stainless-steel body?
3. Steer-by-Wire or No Steering Wheel? (if announced)
4. Which current Tesla model has the most similar door-opening mechanism?
5. How many seats will the robotaxi have?
Will the robotaxi include AI5/Hardware 5, HW4 or something completely different?
Where will Tesla’s first Rideshare/Robotaxi location be established?
Will customers be able to purchase a Robotaxi?

Requirements

Please use the template below to answer the questions on social media or in our forums. You can post your answer as a comment to our forums, to our X post, or to our Threads post.

Once you do that, repost or quote post your favorite article from us.

1. Yes

2. Ridesharing

3. 2025/2027

4. 2025

5. Cybercab

6. Dominic's

7. Yes, Yes, SBW, No, 2

8. HW5

9. LA

10. Yes

Prizes

Prizes are generously provided by Enhance and Jowua, makers of some of the best Tesla accessories and amazing Tesla community members. Prizes will be mailed out directly by them. Winners will get to choose their prize from the list below. First place will have the first pick and so on. There will be five winners in total.

S3XY Buttons (including a commander and wiring)
S3XY Knob for Model 3/Y
Tesla Gaming Controller - Multi-Device Wireless Controller (Wireless Charging)
Tesla Gaming Controller - Multi-Device Wireless Controller (Wireless Charging)
Tesla Gaming Controller - Multi-Device Wireless Controller (Wireless Charging)

Disclaimer

This is a Tesla event, and Tesla normally likes to hold their cards close to their chest. If an answer is ambiguous, we’ll go with the best choice decided by our staff. We’ll do our best to be fair. This

With all that said, we wish our entrants the best of luck, and we’ll announce the winners at the end of the week.