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Feature: Tesla Model 3 customers share worries about white interior delays and free FSD transfers

Credit: @dsdavies1/X

Published

2 years ago

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When Tesla launched the upgraded Tesla Model 3 in the United States, many EV enthusiasts were excited. The updated all-electric sedan was initially launched in China in late August 2023, so the anticipation for the vehicle in the US was palpable. For a growing number of Tesla Model 3 customers, however, the excitement for receiving their new all-electric sedans is starting to become an experience that’s filled with delays and a growing amount of frustration.  

The Upgraded Tesla Model 3 

The upgraded Tesla Model 3 is currently only offered in two variants — the Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and Model 3 Long Range All Wheel Drive (AWD). Both vehicles are available with either a free Black interior or Tesla’s popular, futuristic Black and White interior, which is a $1,500 option. Tesla’s Black and White interiors have become iconic over the years for their futuristic, clean, and airy look, so it was no surprise that numerous upgraded Model 3 customers ordered their vehicles with the paid interior option. 

But as shared with Teslarati by a number of new Model 3 customers, Tesla has been continually pushing back the expected delivery dates of vehicles that were ordered with Black and White interior. So notable were the delays that some Tesla Model 3 customers are now concerned that they might pass the deadline for free FSD Capability transfers before they could take delivery of their vehicles. Some are also getting hit by a growing number of inconveniences and annoyances due to the delays in their vehicle orders. 

Credit: Tesla/X

Black and White Delays

An overview of the issue could be found in an upgraded Model 3 order tracker aggregated by customers of the revamped all-electric sedan. As could be seen in the community tracker, some new Model 3 customers who ordered their vehicle with a Black and White interior have seen their estimated delivery dates moved back 12 times. This has become quite frustrating for Model 3 customers, especially those who placed an order for the vehicle right after its US launch in January. 

For customers who placed an order for an upgraded Model 3 with a Black and White interior in January, the wait for their vehicles has become substantial. And with some estimated delivery dates being pushed back from January/February 2024 to late May 2024, some are seemingly looking at an almost five-month wait for their new Model 3. This is quite a strange situation considering that some members in forums such as the Tesla Motors Club who ordered the new Model 3 with the default Black interior were able to receive their VINs and take delivery relatively quickly. 

Credit: Tesla/X

Free FSD Capability Transfer Concerns

Tesla’s official website notes that customers who take delivery of a new vehicle, including the new Model 3, by the end of Q1 2024 could qualify for a free Full Self-Driving (FSD) Capability transfer. This has caused a considerable amount of stress for upgraded Model 3 customers who ordered their vehicles with Black and White interiors. Tesla did note on its official X account that “any customer who had a timeline shift will be able to take advantage of FSD transfer.” This, however, is not yet reflected in the company’s Full Self-Driving Capability Transfer Agreement, at least as of writing. 

Full Self-Driving is steadily becoming more and more refined, so it is no wonder that some upgraded Tesla Model 3 customers opted to order their vehicles to take advantage of the company’s free FSD Capability transfer program. It is then also no surprise that some new Model 3 customers have noted in online forums that they may cancel their vehicle orders if their free FSD Capability transfer is not honored. 

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Customer Headaches

Perhaps one of the reasons behind the frustration of the new Model 3 customers is Tesla’s reported lack of communication about delays in their vehicle orders. Simply pushing back the new Model 3 with Black and White interior’s estimated delivery dates without communication fosters a bad customer experience, after all, and essentially turning customers’ wait times from what was supposed to be just one to two months into what is now looking to be nearly five months is just as worse. 

As per some upgraded Model 3 customers who got in touch with Teslarati, the multiple estimated delivery date delays and overall lack of communication from the EV maker have caught them off guard. Some have reported seeing their financing applications expiring due to the delays, reportedly adversely affecting their credit scores. Others have ended up renting cars for now because they did not expect the delays in their new Model 3 with Black and White interior to be this notable. Others have also noted that they have resorted to borrowing cars from relatives, though one cannot deny that borrowing a car for several months may be a bit of an awkward affair. 

“I myself don’t have a vehicle anymore so I am borrowing cars from relatives. Borrowing cars for a month or two is one thing. Borrowing for five months is insane,” one new Tesla Model 3 customer wrote to Teslarati.

Hopefully, Tesla could shed some light on this matter. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Cybertruck

Tesla begins wide rollout of Full Self-Driving v14 to Cybertruck

Published

5 hours ago

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November 3, 2025

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Credit: Weibo (via YYDS on X)

Tesla has officially begun the wide rollout of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14 to the Cybertruck about a month after the company started rolling it out to other vehicles in the fleet.

On Monday, Tesla officially started rolling out v14.1.5 to Cybertruck owners, the first FSD v14 rollout for owners of the all-electric pickup.

Owners have been anxiously waiting for Tesla to begin the wide release of v14 to Cybertruck, as the company said it would refine the suite for the vehicle.

Tesla has finally started rolling out to many owners, who are reporting that their Cybertrucks are downloading Software Update 2025.38.8.5, which contains FSD v14.1.5:

Tesla has to be more cautious with rolling out FSD on the Cybertruck than on other vehicles for a few reasons. Initially, the Cybertruck utilizes an all-wheel steering system that turns differently than the S3XY lineup. This creates a challenge for the Tesla AI team as they have to cater to this specific maneuvering change.

Additionally, the Cybertruck is much larger, and the exterior cameras responsible for seeing the vehicle’s surroundings are placed differently than those of the other vehicles.

This requires additional calibration to ensure safety.

The full release notes for Full Self-Driving v14.1.5 are as follows:

  • Added Arrival Options for you to select where FSD should park: in a Parking Lot, on the Street, in a Driveway, in a Parking Garage, or at the Curbside.
  • Added handling to pull over or yield for emergency vehicles (e.g. police cars, fire trucks, ambulances).
  • Added navigation and routing into the vision-based neural network for real-time handling of blocked roads and detours.
  • Added additional Speed Profile to further customize driving style preference.
  • Improved handling for static and dynamic gates.
  • Improved offsetting for road debris (e.g. tires, tree branches, boxes).
  • Improve handling of several scenarios including: unprotected turns, lane changes, vehicle cut-ins, and school buses.
  • Improved FSD’s ability to manage system faults and recover smoothly from degraded operation for enhanced reliability.
  • Added alerting for residue build-up on interior windshield that may impact front camera visibility. If affected, visit Service for cleaning!

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Elon Musk shuts down Tesla ‘AMG’ division speculation: ‘Focus is autonomy’

“I think it’s best to leave that to the custom shops. Tesla’s focus is autonomous cars, building futuristic autonomous cars. We want the future to look like the future.”

Published

7 hours ago

on

November 3, 2025

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

Tesla CEO Elon Musk was asked by Joe Rogan late last week whether the company would ever consider establishing an “AMG division” like Mercedes-Benz has established for powerful, race-inspired vehicles.

However, Musk turned down any talk of that, highlighting that the company is laser-focused on autonomous vehicles, seemingly hinting that any distraction from autonomy would be a detriment to the future.

Rogan drives a Tesla Model S himself, but it is not your run-of-the-mill all-electric sedan. Already outfitted with the Plaid powertrain that Tesla developed, Rogan took his vehicle to Unplugged Performance for a true performance outfitting.

The vehicle is completely overhauled with performance parts and seats. Known as the Model S-APEX, Rogan took delivery of it from Unplugged in January.

Rogan asked Musk on Friday during his most recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast whether Tesla would ever establish an “AMG division” that would focus on catering Teslas to performance-based standards.

Musk said:

“I think it’s best to leave that to the custom shops. Tesla’s focus is autonomous cars, building futuristic autonomous cars. We want the future to look like the future.”

Tesla fans have said for years that the company should consider acquiring Unplugged Performance and its Upfit Tesla division, which recently outfitted the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s fleet of Cybertruck cruisers.

However, it seems Tesla will keep things separate. Musk is primarily focused on autonomy, which will drive the technology forward and drive shareholder growth. Something like an outfitter for performance would be a cool thing for the owners who have the interest and the money.

It’s not a tremendous revenue driver or anything that would contribute to the financial state of the company. Mercedes-Benz, for example, is more accessible for consumers as it sold over 140,000 units from its AMG brand in 2024.

Tesla Model Y driver starts race in reverse, still wins against AMG SUV

It helps with driving revenue higher by as much as 15 percent compared to similar models that are not AMGs. However, would Tesla see this much of a benefit? Likely not, because the Performance trim already caters to many owners.

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Cybertruck

Tesla Cybertruck fleet takes over at SpaceX’s Starbase

Interestingly, the Cybertruck uses the same exterior, a stainless steel alloy, as SpaceX rockets. This synergy between the two companies and their very different products shows a very unified mentality between Musk companies.

Published

8 hours ago

on

November 3, 2025

By

Credit: @derek1ee | X

Tesla Cybertrucks have taken over at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, as hundreds of the all-electric pickup trucks were spotted late last week rounding out a massive fleet of vehicles.

The Cybertruck fleet is geared toward replacing gas vehicles that are used at Starbase for everyday operations. The only surprise about this is that it was not done sooner:

Deliveries have been going on for a few weeks, as Cybertrucks have made their way across the state of Texas from Austin to Starbase so they could be included in SpaceX’s fleet of vehicles at the facility.

Interestingly, the Cybertruck uses the same exterior, a stainless steel alloy, as SpaceX rockets. This synergy between the two companies and their very different products shows a very unified mentality between Musk companies.

However, there are some other perspectives to consider as SpaceX is utilizing such a massive fleet of Cybertrucks. Some media outlets (unsurprisingly) are seeing this as a move of weakness by both Tesla and SpaceX, as the aerospace company is, in a sense, “bailing out” lagging sales for the all-electric pickup.

It’s no secret that Tesla has struggled with the Cybertruck this year, and deliveries have been underwhelming in the sense that the company was anticipating between 1 million and 2 million orders for the vehicle before it was widely produced.

A lot of things changed with the Cybertruck between its 2019 unveiling and 2023 initial deliveries, most notably, price.

The price of the Cybertruck swelled significantly and priced out many of those who had pre-ordered it. Some have weighed the option of whether this purchase was a way to get rid of sitting inventory.

However, it seems more logical to consider the fact that SpaceX was likely always going to transition to Teslas for its fleet, especially at Starship, at some point.

It doesn’t seem out of the question that one Musk company would utilize another Musk company’s products, especially considering the Cybertruck has been teased as the vehicle that would be present on Mars.

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