New Tesla Updates: Wait to Buy, Elimination of Model S and X in Certain Markets, New Powerwall Programs, and More
Tesla is one of the most innovative companies globally, bringing cutting-edge electric vehicles, solar panels, and energy storage systems to the market. As such, it’s no surprise that the company regularly updates its existing products, adds new features, offers different programs, and eliminates select models from certain markets. Here are the latest Tesla updates that you should know about.
Automatic Emergency Braking Updated
One of Tesla’s best safety features is its automatic emergency braking (AEB), which helps to prevent accidents. However, the company now plans to add even more functionality to it in software version 2023.12. According to Tesla, AEB will now work in reverse and determine the distance from detected objects. Further, the top operational speed has also been increased, functioning between three miles per hour and 124 miles per hour, compared to just 90 miles per hour previously. While there are a few instances where AEB does not apply, it is still enabled by default in each drive.
Model S and X Eliminated in Australia
Tesla has decided to discontinue Model S and X orders in Australia. On its website, prospective buyers can no longer place their orders for these cars, and the design studio cannot be operated anymore. Furthermore, there have been no deliveries for these refreshed models in Australia, with the last deliveries reportedly arriving at the end of 2020 before the refresh. Although pre-orders have been open for a while, the number of people who have placed pre-orders for these cars isn’t clear. If Tesla no longer plans to release these cars in Australia, they would have to refund all of these deposits. It is possible that there have been ongoing issues with manufacturing or distribution in Australia specifically.
Cyber Truck Updates
During their Q1 2023 earnings call, Tesla confirmed that the Cyber Truck is still on track for production later this year at Giga Texas. In addition, some new photos of the pilot line tooling and winter testing were released, and Elon Musk reiterated that they plan to have a Cyber Truck delivery event around September of this year. Interestingly, there have been sightings of a new Cyber Truck in Fremont that some say looks shorter. However, experts agree that it is just the lighting, and the dimensions seem to remain the same. Further photos of the same truck taken from different angles show the massive windshield wiper, which seems to be a permanent feature now.
Tesla’s Inventory Increases
Tesla’s inventory has been growing in recent months, which could be a sign that now is the best time to sell your Tesla or a bad time to buy one. Recently, the company has been ramping up production of all its vehicles all over the world. Although Tesla adjusts the pricing to match their ever-shifting production rates, the company has been accused of starting an all-out price war with the price cuts it’s been making. However, inventory reached a new high in the US, with the company carrying 15 days’ worth of inventory, and there’s been an upward trend since October of last year, leading to a peak of 2600 cars. The breakdown of specific cars in inventory shows that the Model X is the main problem. However, this could be the result of Tesla deploying more inventory in the US during a short period before switching production for other markets.
Summary
Tesla’s automatic emergency braking feature has been updated to work in reverse and determine the distance from detected objects. Model S and X orders have been discontinued in Australia, with no deliveries for the refreshed models since the end of 2020, and pre-orders are still open. The new Cyber Truck sightings in Fremont may look shorter from some angles due to the lighting, but the dimensions and features remain the same. Tesla’s inventory has been increasing, and there’s been an upward trend since October of last year, with the Model X being the main problem. Nonetheless, this could be the result of Tesla deploying more inventory in the USA before switching to other markets, and it could be a sign that another model price cut is required.