If you own or are considering a new Model 3 or a 2021+ Model S/X and prefer stalks over buttons, we’ve got something exciting to share with you.
Enhance Auto (Enhauto), of S3XY Buttons and S3XY Knob fame, gave us a preview of their upcoming product, the S3XY Stalks. While Tesla’s new stalk-less design is great for most — they’re not for everyone. That’s exactly where Enhance Auto’s new product comes in. They give owners the ability to add stalks back to their vehicles.
S3XY Stalks
The Enhauto Stalks (use code “NATA” for an additional 10% off) bring back the turn signal stalks for the new Model 3 and the redesigned Model S/X. They’re wireless and communicate via Bluetooth LE to the Enhauto Commander. Since they’re wireless, they're super easy to install—which we’ll get into later. Because they communicate with the Enhauto Commander, they’re also very customizable.
The stalks are configurable in the S3XY app, and you get multiple configuration sets—one set while the vehicle is driving and another while in park. With a tap of the lever, you can assign just about any command to the stalks, from turn signals to turning on your seat heater or enabling Autopilot.
You’ll be able to set nine actions per stalk, with actions assignable to things like a single tap, double tap, or even long press. While they don’t replicate the old stalks completely, since they don’t allow forward/back functionality, there is a ton of customizability, and it can do literally almost anything you can imagine—you could precondition your car with a double tap of the button on the end of the stalk, for example.
Not a Tesla App
You can customize it as much or as little as you want. For example, you can customize it so that the left stalk turns on the turn signals when you push it up/down, and the button activates the wipers. Similarly, you can have the right stalk activate Autopilot and shift gears. However, there’s so much more you can do. You can have a double press of a button activate your heated seats or adjust your climate temperature. The options you choose and how much you customize them are completely up to you.
Installation
The Bluetooth S3XY Stalk
Not a Tesla App
The installation procedure is super simple, especially if you’ve already got S3XY Buttons or a S3XY Knob. Simply power them on, peel off the 3M tape protector, and place them on the steering control column where you’d normally have your stalks.
This means that you don’t have to disassemble the steering wheel and remove the airbag inside. Removing the airbag is dangerous and, depending on your regional regulations, can potentially void your warranty.
If you don’t have the buttons or the knob, don’t panic - installing the Commander only takes a few minutes, and then you can set it up in the S3XY app.
Enhauto's website has instructions broken down by Tesla model and more detailed instructions based on model year to ensure you get the right fit.
Check out Enhauto’s launch video here:
How It Works
The stalks are battery-powered and wireless, removing any need for wires to the vehicle or to the main unit. They connect via Bluetooth to the Commander, the brains of the whole system, which communicates directly with the vehicle through the car’s OBD2 port. The Commander is the same unit that powers other Enhauto accessories such as the S3XY Buttons and Knob.
So the wireless stalks communicate with the Commander over Bluetooth and the Commander is directly connected to your vehicle to send commands like turning on your turn signals.
Who Is It For?
This product is perfect for people who love the idea of getting into a new Tesla or even getting their first one but are put off without having stalks to control turn signals or shifting. Plenty of people have built driving habits over decades, and suddenly having to re-learn how to operate an entirely different vehicle can be difficult.
The S3XY Stalks help bridge this gap and let anyone drive a new Model 3, Model S, or Model X without a major learning curve.
How Do I Buy It?
Pre-orders begin on Enhauto’s website today, and there’s an early bird special of 20% off - which will continue until December 20th. Use our code “NATA”, which helps support our site and receive an additional 10% discount.
If you order during the early bird special, deliveries will begin in late February - if you order after the 20th, you’ll see an April delivery window.
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According to Chinese blog posts from earlier last week, now vetted by Reuters, Tesla intends to produce a cut-down version of the Model Y, initially for the Chinese market, sometime in 2026.
This follows the launch of Tesla’s cut-down Model 3 for Mexico, as well as news that Tesla intends to launch their new next-gen model sometime in the near future.
Cut Down, But How?
The new Model Y, internally referred to as Project E41, is designed to lower the entry price of Tesla’s popular SUV—one of the most compelling options on the market due to its size, range, and versatility, especially following the launch of the refreshed Model Y.
To achieve this, Tesla is reportedly aiming to reduce the Model Y’s total cost by nearly 20%, according to reports from China. While exact changes remain unknown, we can make informed guesses based on the cost-saving measures Tesla implemented in the scaled-down Model 3 for Mexico.
Textile Seats and Trim
One of the most noticeable changes in the cost-cut version of the Model 3 in Mexico was the removal of vegan leather throughout the interior. In its place, Tesla opted for a durable textile fabric for the seats, reducing material costs. Additionally, any Alcantara trim pieces were replaced with the same textile in various areas.
No Heated or Cooled Seats
Another major cost-cutting measure was the removal of heated and cooled seats, along with the heated steering wheel. While these feature reductions may seem minor, eliminating them reduces various things, such as electrical components, harnesses, and ductwork that are required for seat ventilation.
No Rear Screen
One of the more unexpected changes in the reduced-cost Model 3 was the removal of the rear screen, despite it being powered by the same front infotainment computer as the front display. Given that the screen functions primarily as an additional display rather than a standalone system, the cost to include it is extremely low. It’s one of those really smart additions Tesla has added that increases value for the consumer with minimal cost to Tesla.
Tesla is unlikely to redesign or modify the vehicle’s wiring harness for this change, meaning a rear screen could potentially be retrofitted later by the customer. Based on replacement part estimates, the screen likely costs Tesla between $5 and $20 per vehicle, which acts as a secondary monitor for the infotainment computer.
Ambient Lighting, Acoustic Glass, Speakers
The final set of changes also focuses on the interior. Tesla replaced the RGB-capable ambient lighting with a simpler white-only version—likely saving only a few dollars per vehicle. While this may seem like a minor and somewhat unexpected cut, it could serve as an upsell opportunity to the standard RWD variant.
Additionally, Tesla reduced the use of dual-pane acoustic glass, now limiting it to just the front windows and windshield. This change drastically cuts costs but also affects cabin noise levels. The dual-pane glass played a key role in making the refreshed Model Y noticeably quieter, so this downgrade will likely bring noise insulation closer to that of the original Model Y.
As for audio, Tesla scaled down the speaker system in the Mexican Model 3 from 17 speakers to just nine, while also removing the subwoofers and one of the audio amplifiers. While this cuts costs due to wiring and speakers, it also has a large impact on the audio quality in the vehicle.
Project E41 is Not the Next-Gen Model
It’s important to note that Project E41 is not the same as the upcoming, more affordable next-gen platform, which is internally referred to as Project Redwood. While Project E41 focuses on a reduced-cost version of the Model Y, Project Redwood is designed to test Tesla’s manufacturing capabilities, using their innovative unboxed assembly method to reduce both costs and production time. The goal is to create a vehicle that is smaller and more affordable, while also keeping it safe and capable of self-driving.
Tesla previously confirmed that they plan to unveil new models—distinct from cut-down versions of the Model 3 or Model Y—during their Q4 2024 Earnings Call. However, the executive team has been careful not to divulge too many details about the upcoming model during interviews. This suggests there may be a lot more that has yet to be unveiled.
The Cybertruck is something that’s completely out of this world—so much so that when people are unfamiliar with it, their first reaction is often, “What is that?”
And stepping inside only reinforces that impression. With its hidden-button doors and sleek, futuristic interior, the Cybertruck truly feels like something from another world. Recently, Tesla’s Chief Vehicle Designer, Franz von Holzhausen, revealed that an image shared by the official Cybertruck account on X is actually the original sketch that inspired its radical design.
Many Iterations
The Cybertruck has undergone numerous design iterations, and we’ve had the chance to explore some of Tesla’s earliest concepts for a truck that would define the future in many ways. These insights come from Walter Isaacson, who detailed them in his biography of Elon Musk.
Originally shared in 2023, the images revealed a dramatically different vision—one without the now-iconic angular rear sail. The design drew inspiration from various art forms, including video games, books, and movies—essentially, anywhere sci-fi had imagined a sleek, futuristic, or rugged truck.
The Nighthawk
The infamous F-117 Nighthawk.
Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmon II | http://www.defenselink.mil/
The design that ultimately made it to production wasn’t one of those early concepts. Instead, it was inspired by none other than the infamous American F-117 Nighthawk—a now-retired, single-seat stealth bomber developed by the secretive Skunk Works for the U.S. military. As the world’s first stealth aircraft, the F-117 revolutionized aviation with its groundbreaking design.
Much like the Cybertruck’s deluge of new technologies, the F-117 brought innovations that reshaped modern aircraft design. Its angular, faceted surfaces were engineered to deflect radar waves and reduce its infrared signature—features that directly influenced the Cybertruck’s distinctive geometry. When wrapped in black, the resemblance to the Nighthawk is undeniable.
Now, while we can’t say for sure if the Cybertruck is truly “stealthy”—since it turns heads wherever it goes—it does reflect radar waves. That said, don’t expect it to help you evade speed cameras or slip past the police unnoticed.
Super Stealthy
Not a Tesla App
The Nighthawk’s angular design also required advanced computerization—because, at first, no one believed it could even fly. Without its onboard computers to fine-tune the pilot’s inputs, it simply wouldn’t have. Similarly, the Cybertruck’s steer-by-wire system and rear-wheel steering give it an unexpected level of agility—especially for a massive stainless-steel vehicle that’s this fast.
The Cybertruck is truly one of a kind—there’s nothing else like it on the road today. Franz von Holzhausen delivered on Elon Musk’s vision of a truck from the future, and Tesla’s engineering team brought that vision to life in a way that few thought possible.
![A Look at the Tesla Cybertruck’s Crumple Zones [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/cybertruck/cybertruck-crash-test.webp/e43ef2433bd6e44ae8db63421604a4fb/cybertruck-crash-test.jpg)
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