Elon wants to make Tesla service awesome; to offer $100 credit for cancellations

Elon Musk wants to make Tesla Service 'awesome'

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You never know when Tesla’s CEO is listening — or reading tweets. Elon Musk responded to a tweet complaining about service. He puts his money where his mouth is with his response and lets everyone know where he is focused. He tweeted: Note, I am putting a lot of time personally into advancing Tesla service to make it awesome. Hopefully, this is starting to be felt by Tesla owners.

With more and more Teslas on the road, it’s only natural that there will be a demand for more services. The electric vehicle pioneer is upscaling every part of its business, from factories to charging stations. Last year, Musk talked about expeditating service center openings. Now, it’s clear that service centers are on the CEO’s list of things to do. It is not the first time Musk has talked about improving Tesla’s service capabilities. On June 4, 2022, he tweeted: Working on Tesla North American service. Goal is 2/3 of cars receive same-day service, no wait.

As for the complaint that prompted Musk’s latest response, Twitter user Austin Hinson shared a screen grab of a message he received from Tesla. The statement explained that his appointment had been rescheduled because the parts required to fix his car did not arrive in time. Hinson was upset about the late notice, and he tweeted: So Tesla gets to charge me $100 to change my appointment within 24 hours, but this appointment has been scheduled for 2 weeks and they’re just now telling me this? Service needs to be addressed.

Musk agreed with Hinson and said it should be reciprocal. He responded that Tesla owners should be credited $100 if appointments are changed with less than 24 hours' notice. Musk also tagged Tesla in his response, but there is no mention of the $100 credit on the website — yet.

Tesla’s goal is to eliminate the need for service. The vehicle comes with several advantages in services due to the remote diagnostics and over-the-air software updates to keep the vehicle in tip-top shape. Also, with far fewer moving parts, regular maintenance is not necessary. The company was ahead of others by incorporating service into the app, allowing owners to book, modify or cancel appointments with Tesla’s service centers. The app also lets Tesla communicate with customers with service reminders and when the vehicle is ready for pick-up.

You’re right, we should credit Tesla owners $100 if we change appointments with less than 24 hours notice. Should be reciprocal. @Tesla

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 8, 2022

A Closer Look at Tesla's Ambient Lighting Feature in the New Model 3 and Cybertruck [Video]

Tesla introduced a wrap-around ambient lighting strip to its new Model 3

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If you look up ambient lights for Tesla, you'll see several ads for third-party light kits. Perhaps this is why Tesla added its own Ambient Lights feature to the new Model 3. So, let's get enlightened.

Tesla's ambient lights are thin light strips that are embedded in each of the vehicle's doors near the top edge. It also curves around the dashboard near the windshield, giving passengers a near 360-degree light effect.

Supported Models

Tesla new ambient light feature is available on the new Model 3 (2024+), and will be available on the Cybertruck in a similar manner. With a refresh ongoing for the Model Y, known as Juniper, it will likely also have ambient lights. That just leaves out the most luxurious flagship vehicles, the Model S and X, for now.

The Model S and Model X could be due for a minor refresh that would not only add ambient lighting, but also include a front-bumper camera that the Cybertruck has and the new Model 3 is expected to have in the near future.

Customization

Tesla introduced a wrap-around ambient lighting strip to its new Model 3

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The ambient light settings allow you to light up the interior in a color that reflects your mood or preference. Under Controls > Lights > Accent Lights, you are handed the freedom to choose virtually any color to adorn the interior of your Tesla.

You have control over whether the ambient lights are on, off, or set to an "Auto" setting, though not fully clarified, seems to promise intelligent lighting adjustments akin to our control over dome lights, offering a reduction in reflections during drives.

While the ability to control the brightness level seems missing, Tesla did include color presets, letting you curate a series of your favorite colors.

It should be noted that the changes are confined to the light strips on the doors and dash, steering clear of the footwell lights and other interior lighting.

Future Enhancements

With Tesla, we can be assured there will be enhancements to this feature in a future update. In fact, the Tesla community is already busy coming up with useful suggestions. Some owners thought Tesla should take advantage of the lighting to provide driver feedback, such as automatically changing the ambient lighting to a red hue when there's a vehicle in your blind spot. Tesla could also glow the light strip on a door if it's not closed properly, or use the lighting to provide feedback when Sentry Mode is enabled.

Other uses could be more fun, such as cycling the light through various colors when the 'Rainbow Road' easter egg is activated.

Ambient Lighting in Action

While the possibilities are endless and Tesla engineers will surely have fun coming up with creative uses for the feature, the biggest improvement we can hope for in the near future is the ability to adjust the light intensity.

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Tesla Model 3 'Highland' Performance Details Discovered in European Documents

Tesla's new Model 3 received a host of exterior and interior upgrades

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Tesla outdid itself with the refreshed Model 3, known as the Highland. Despite all the fantastic upgrades, something is missing - the Performance version or perhaps the Plaid. The letter "T" has shown up on vehicle certificates in Europe, and despite Elon Musk's sense of humor, it is unlikely this is a Mr. T reference.

Deciphering the 'T'

A new document shows the new Model 3 Performance will have a dual motor

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Diligent scrutiny of the European Type Certificate, issued by the Dutch vehicle authority RDW and shared on the TFF Forum, revealed a subtle yet pivotal alteration — including the letter 'T' in the eighth digit of the Model 3 Performance's VIN.

This seemingly minor detail, indicative of the vehicle's motor/drive unit type, sparked curiosity and speculation on the forum. Could it be a tri-motor setup to usher in a new Plaid version of the Model 3? This vehicle has already got endless amounts of zip, but three motors? May The Schwartz Be With You!

This could also explain the Model 3+ badging that was spotted during the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in China inspection of the refresh. However, the regulatory filings highlighted just two distinct variants of the car: a rear-wheel drive (RWD) with a 194 kW motor and an all-wheel drive (AWD) dual-motor setup that combines to deliver a formidable 331 kW of maximum power.

Initial conjectures leaned towards the possibility of a tri-motor setup, drawing parallels with the Plaid variants of the Model S and Model X. However, a deeper dive into the certification document clarified that the Model 3 Performance retained its Dual Motor setup, dispelling the possibility of a tri-motor upgrade.

Strategic Enhancements: A Glimpse into Potential Upgrades

Given the documented specifications, it becomes plausible that Tesla has strategically enhanced one of the dual motors, potentially aligning it with the advanced motor found in the Model S/X Plaid. This modification is poised to augment the top-end speed and acceleration of the Model 3 Performance, addressing its comparative limitations in extended races against traditional gas-powered supercars.

Meanwhile, the Model 3 refresh has become the new Bigfoot of the roads of North America, with rare sightings posted on social media. However, it appears the continent is excluded from the initial launch of the Model 3 Highland. Internal communications within Tesla suggest North American enthusiasts might have to exercise patience until 2024.

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