It’s that time of year again - it's getting colder, the snow might be falling, and the bells are probably jingling. And you know what that means? It’s time to find some holiday gifts for that someone special in your life.
Whether you’re buying for yourself or gifting to a friend, we’ve put together a guide to help you decide.
S3XY Buttons & Stalks
Aren't they S3XY?
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One of the coolest accessories for your Tesla is, hands-down, the S3XY Buttons. Using them alongside the Enhauto commander that comes in the kit can give you a massive amount of new customizability and control over your vehicle.
You can set a command for each button like folding your vehicle’s mirrors, or turn on/off your seat heater, but you can also control certain options Tesla doesn’t currently offer, like manually preconditioning your battery.
Sadly, these aren’t compatible with the Cybertruck just yet, but Enhauto rolled out a new set of features for the 2024 Model 3 Highland, which uses the ambient light strips to warn you about traffic or other situations.
We also recently covered the launch of Enhauto’s new S3XY Stalks, which add stalks back to the new Model 3 and 2021+ Model S and X.
Use coupon code “NATA” for an additional 10% off anything at Enhauto.
Jowua Controllers
Wireless charging and Tesla compatible? They also look good? Every box is checked.
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Jowua makes a lot of fantastic Tesla accessories, but one of our favorites is their Tesla Controllers. You can get just the controller or a bundle. They’re comfortable to hold, the buttons are clicky and responsive, and they’re compatible with both your Tesla and your PC at home.
They’re multi-purpose, and the latest generation controllers can recharge on your Tesla’s wireless chargers too.
Use coupon code “NotATeslaApp” for an additional discount.
Abstract Ocean Hydrophobic Camera Covers
Super effective against water and grime - and a version for nearly every Tesla!
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Abstract Ocean also makes many accessories, but if we had to choose one that stands out, it's their Hydrophobic Camera Covers. They go over the rear camera of your vehicle and help keep mud, grime, and water off the lens.
We’ve linked the one for the Model 3 and Model Y above, but they also have versions for the Cybertruck, Model S, and Model X.
You can use the coupon code “NotATeslaApp” for an additional 10% off.
Tesbros Wraps
Carbon Fibre Console Wraps!
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Tesbros focuses on customization and cleaning, and they’ve got a lot of wraps. They've got everything you need to DIY wrap your vehicle, including interior and exterior wraps. So, if you want to wrap your vehicle or put on some carbon-fiber-like wraps on your dash, they’ve got what you need there. Check out their interior wraps here.
Also, check out their Interactive Wrap Visualizer to see what your Tesla would look like wrapped up in one of their many options - they sell both DIY and professional kits!
Tuxmat Custom-fit Mats
Perfect fit.
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Tuxmat makes custom-fit mats for vehicles - and they’re very high quality. They’re resistant to water, mud, salt, and whatever else you want to throw at them. They clip in seamlessly to your vehicle and look factory installed.
If you’re looking for a set of mats that will last, these took a lot of punishment in the author’s Model Y, and are still going nearly three years later without any wear or tear. Take a look at their mats at this link.
3D Spider Mats
Super sleek, super resistant, super affordable.
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Another option in the mats department is 3D Spider. Rather than the fabric-like feeling of the Tuxmats, 3D Spider offers thicker mats that will fit your vehicle nearly as well. They’re also a fair bit cheaper than Tuxmat. They make an excellent choice if budget is on your mind, and they’re nearly just as resistant as the Tuxmats above.
In terms of price-to-performance, these are some of the best Tesla mats you can get on the market - here’s a link to their store, but you can also buy them on Amazon.
T-Sportline Cybertruck Offroad Lightbar
A fantastic third-party lightbar option - without being permanent.
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The Cyberbeast’s off-road lightbar is taking a long time to ship—and there are plenty of AWD owners who want one, too. T-Sportline makes an off-road lightbar that mounts to the roof in a similar position as the OEM lightbar but without the glue on the windshield.
They also sell a quick disconnect and an L-rack mount, which means you can pull it off quickly and store it safely in the back of your truck when you’re not offroading. If you’re interested, shine your lights at this link.
Durable Sentry SSD
Waterproof, heatproof, coldproof, and dustproof. It'll survive it all!
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If you’re looking for a Sentry SSD that’s got greater capacity than the 128GB one that comes with your Tesla, look no further than the Samsung T7 Shield. It’s a rugged SSD that can withstand both heat and cold and is available in a 1TB, 2TB, or even 4TB capacity. They’re also sold directly on Amazon, making buying them easy.
Rally Armor Mud Flaps
They look sleek and protect more than the OEM flaps!
Not a Tesla App
The Tesla mud flaps can come off easily if you’re taking your vehicle down a rough dirt road or even in heavy snow. Rally Armor’s mud flaps are some of the best in the business - they’re flexible, solidly attached, and will keep your car from getting any dings from rocks or gravel flying up. Check them out on Amazon.
Touchscreen Protectors
Super easy to install, and you and you can get them in matte or gloss!
Not a Tesla App
The touchscreen in your car is the primary means to interact with it. If you or your passenger accidentally smash a phone into it, trying to drop it on the wireless charger, it's a pretty penny to get it fixed.
Instead of taking the risk, a tempered glass screen protector—available in matte or gloss—will help. The best part? They’ll keep those pesky fingerprints off, too, so you won’t have to wipe down that display as often.
If you or the Tesla owner in your life always gets out of your car and turns around to admire it, well, it better be clean. Car cleaning kits that come with rags, microfiber cloths, and all the chemicals you’ll need are a handy solution to getting that shine back on your ride.
If that’s not their style, go ahead and get them a car wash card for a local touchless car wash. They’ll appreciate it, and so will their Tesla.
We recommend this kit - it comes with all the basics and won’t break your wallet. You can add to it with a foam cannon and more tools as needed. You can buy it directly on Amazon.
Key Rings
A fantastic backup option.
Not a Tesla App
Tesla’s keycards are cool—nobody makes car keys this stylish. But what if you wanted something more convenient? You can also get a ring that will serve as an NFC key—it’ll act just like a keycard. Simply tap your knuckle on your car to get in, and then swipe your hand near the interior card reader to get going.
They’re waterproof, don’t require charging, and are a fantastic backup for when you leave your wallet and your phone in your car. Trust me, it’s worth it! Here’s a link to their site. We’ve also got a 5% Referral Code: FRIEND-QTS4D5R
Tesla Shop
A scale Cybertruck on some Cybertruck accessories!
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Of course, we saved this one for last. Tesla’s official shop has a lot of awesome stuff, from accessories for your vehicle to accessories for yourself.
If you’re aiming for some fantastic gifts, we highly recommend the scale models - they’re all really high quality and are fantastic display pieces. The author has a scale Cybertruck on their office desk.
Some of the links in this article may be a part of affiliate programs and/or offer you a discount. While they have no barring on what we decide to include in our gift guide, we may receive a small commission for items bought through some of these links, which goes toward supporting the site.
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Tesla’s Dan W Priestley attended the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim, California, and provided an update on Tesla’s Semi truck program. The presentation covered several key developments on the status of Tesla’s Nevada Semi Factory, refinements to the Semi, and Tesla’s plans for charging and ramping production through 2026.
Let’s dig in and take a look at everything that was captured by the Out of Spec team at ACT Expo. The original video is embedded below if you’d like to watch it.
Semi Factory & Production Ramp
Priestley reaffirmed the timelines mentioned during Tesla’s Q4 2024 Earnings Call that Tesla will scale Semi production in 2026. To achieve this, Tesla has been actively building and expanding the Gigafactory Nevada site, specifically to support the production of the Tesla Semi. The dedicated Semi facility will have a targeted annual capacity of 50,000 Semi trucks.
Following the beginning of production, Tesla will utilize the initial trucks to integrate into its own logistics operations. This will serve as both a final real-world testing ground as well as an opportunity for Tesla to gather data internally. Tesla plans to begin subsequent customer deliveries throughout 2026 as the ramp-up continues.
Reuters also reported that Tesla is hiring over 1,000 new employees at the Semi Factory to begin the rapid ramping of the program.
Semi has already amassed 7.9 million miles with Tesla’s current testing and operational fleets, providing some real-world data and testing. Feedback for the truck has been exceptionally successful, with many drivers praising the Semi’s performance and comfort.
New Tesla Semi Features
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Tesla keynote without showing off some new things. The Semi will be available in 500-mile and 300-mile range configurations, now featuring updated mirror designs and a drop-down glass section to improve visibility and allow easier interaction with external elements—such as control panels at ports, for example.
New Electric Power Take-Off (e-PTO)
The Tesla Semi will also feature a new capability called Electric Power Take-Off, or e-PTO system. Similar to the PTO systems found on other vehicles, this will allow the Semi’s high-voltage battery to power auxiliary equipment at variable voltages. That includes being able to power things like climate-controlled reefer trailers, potentially replacing the noisy and polluting diesel generators traditionally used for this purpose.
Charging and Batteries
Out of Spec BITS/YouTube
Tesla is also working on an updated battery pack design for the final production design of the Semi. This new pack is designed to be more cost-effective to manufacture. The battery pack itself is slightly smaller than before, but the truck maintains the same level of range through efficiencies. Dan also confirmed during his keynote that the battery cells for the Semi will be sourced domestically inside the United States, helping to alleviate potential burdens due to tariffs.
On the charging front, Tesla is using MCS - the Megawatt Charging System - capable of 1.2MW - and designed specifically for Semi. The system uses the same V4 charging hardware found at Supercharger sites but focuses on that larger power output. Alongside a smaller physical footprint, Tesla will be able to configure these V4 cabinets for either dedicated Semi charging or for shared power scenarios with regular Superchargers. Tesla is also working on an integrated overnight charging product, but Tesla isn’t ready to talk about it yet.
46 Semi Charger Sites Coming
The 46 new MCS sites coming soon.
Out of Spec BITS/YouTube
Finally, Tesla has made substantial investments in a public charging network for the Semi. There are currently 46 sites in progress throughout the United States, and plans for significant expansion throughout 2026 and 2027. These sites are strategically located alongside major truck routes and within industrial areas to support long-haul and regional operations. Tesla is aiming to offer the lowest possible energy costs to operators to help incentivize adoption.
This was one of the best updates to the Tesla Semi we’ve received since its initial unveiling. It seems that the Semi will receive a big portion of Tesla’s attention in 2026, while Robotaxi and FSD Unsupervised take the stage this year.
The Tesla Semi has the potential to transform transportation even more dramatically than EVs already have, serving as a testament to Tesla’s mission to electrify the world.
Sentry Mode is an invaluable tool for owners - capable of keeping the vehicle safe and secure even when you’re not around. This is especially true in recent times, with the misguided and unfortunate incidents surrounding Tesla ownership, including damage to Tesla vehicles, showrooms, and Superchargers.
B-pillar Camera Recording and Dashcam Viewer
With the 2025 Spring Update on 2025.14, Tesla is expanding Sentry Mode’s functionality for certain vehicles with some much-needed changes. Sentry Mode and Dashcam can now record footage from the vehicle’s B-pillar cameras. These cameras are located on the side pillars of the vehicle, between the front and rear doors.
This adds two crucially needed viewpoints, making Tesla’s Sentry Mode a truly 360-degree security system. These cameras also provide the best angles for capturing license plates when parked, so they will be greatly appreciated by owners in the event of an incident.
These vehicles are also receiving an improved Dashcam Viewer, which now displays the six camera feeds along the bottom and a new grid view. It also allows users to jump back or forward in the video in 15-second increments.
However, to the disappointment of many owners, not all vehicles are receiving these updates due to the additional processing power needed.
Limited to Hardware 4 Vehicles, Ryzen Isn’t Enough
We have confirmed that Tesla is only adding the additional camera recording and improved Dashcam Viewer on hardware 4 (HW4 / AI4) vehicles. The newer hardware presumably has the additional processing power and bandwidth needed to handle recording and saving the two additional video streams during Sentry Mode and Dashcam.
For the time being, owners of HW3 vehicles are not receiving this feature. This includes all vehicles with HW3, even those with AMD Ryzen infotainment systems. If you’re not sure whether your vehicle has HW3 or HW4, you can refer to our FSD hardware guide.
While there’s no doubt that recording two additional camera streams would be more computationally intensive, we hope that Tesla adds the improved Dashcam Viewer to HW3 vehicles in a future update.
Cybertruck Also Missing Improved Sentry Mode
Surprisingly, and most confusing for many - is the fact that the Cybertruck is also not receiving the improved Dashcam Viewer and B-pillar camera recording with this update. This struck us as odd, especially since the Cybertruck is currently the only vehicle with the improved, more efficient version of Sentry Mode.
Every Cybertruck is equipped with HW4 and AMD Ryzen infotainment units, so this clearly isn’t a hardware restriction. It’s possible the more efficient Sentry Mode is playing a role here due to the infrastructure changes. However, we expect Tesla to address this in a future update and eventually release these features for the Cybertruck as well.
Given the Cybertruck’s high visibility and its status as a frequent target for both positive and negative attention, many owners hoped that the Cybertruck would be one of the vehicles to receive this feature.
Adaptive Headlights
Tesla finally started rolling out its adaptive headlights in North America. While the new Model Y already came with the feature when it was released last month, other vehicles with matrix headlights are now receiving the feature in the Spring Update.
All vehicles with matrix headlights are receiving this feature, which includes the new and old Model 3, first-gen Model Y, and the new Model S and Model X.
If you’re not sure if your vehicle includes matrix headlights, check out our guide. What’s interesting here is that older vehicles that were retrofitted with matrix headlights due to an accident or user replacement are also receiving the adaptive headlights feature.
Legacy Model S & Model X
As with most updates, the older legacy Model S and Model X are not receiving all the features included in this update. Unfortunately, some of the features, which include the Blind Spot Camera on the instrument cluster, Save Trunk Height Based on Location and Keep Accessory Power On are limited to the new Model S and X.
Legacy S and X models will receive the Alternative Trip Plans feature, Avoid Highways (Requires Intel MCU) and the Keyboard Languages feature.
These vehicles are also receiving all the features in the Minor Updates section except for the visualization showing how far the door is opened, which is exclusive to the Cybertruck. These additions include improved music search results, contact photos in the phone app, automatic connecting to hotspots, the ability to show third-party chargers, view Supercharger amenities, and various improvements to music services.
While many users will be disappointed not to receive the B-pillar camera recording and Dashcam Viewer improvements, it’s important to remember that Tesla typically does a great job at bringing features to older vehicles, at least with the Model 3 and Model Y. If a feature isn’t added, it’s usually due to a hardware limitation.
![Tesla Semi Keynote: New Features, 46 Charging Sites, Upgraded Battery & More [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/semi/semi-new-features.jpg/c7df4e0d32f8cb0beee080ad201e943b/semi-new-features.jpg)
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