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Exploring Details Behind the Tesla Model S Update

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2016 Tesla Model S revised front end

After four years on the market, Tesla has quietly released a new styling update for the Model S aligning it with the design found on the Model X and Model 3 prototype.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has once said that Tesla continues to improve on their vehicles making sometimes twenty engineering design changes per week, with many of them being released via over-the-air software updates, but major redesigns are few and far between.

Let’s take a closer look at what the new Model S “refresh” introduced.

Exterior Design Updates

The most noticeable exterior update is the new front-end of the Model S which looks most like the front-end of the Model X.

 

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Though they look very similar in design, the Model S looks even sleeker due to the lower profile over the Model X. The revised look keeps the Model S modern in appearance, but subtle enough that it still remains true to its original contour and body lines.

One update that easily goes unnoticed is the relocation of the front facing radar. Because of the new grill-less design of the Model S, the Tesla design team had to move the radar up from the bottom grill to the open space behind the Tesla emblem. This not only helps with functionality because of a higher mounting position with potentially less obstruction, but the new hidden location makes the car look a heck of a lot better.

Also improved on the exterior are the headlights which are now adaptive LED headlamps that adjust according to the curvature of the road. This is standard equipment found on the Model X but also seen on the Model 3 prototypes.

Interior Design Updates

The interior treatment of the Model S received a few new updates as well. Tesla has included a standard center console that looks to be the same one from the Model X.

Tesla Model S (left) vs Model X (right) interior

Tesla has also added a Figured Ash as an available interior trim. This trim has been very popular among Model X buyers, but it also happens to be a personal favorite of mine.

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Additional Features

High amperage chargerThe Model S onboard charger has been upgraded from a 40A standard charger to a 48A standard charger, with an option to further increase charging rate by opting for a 72A “high amperage” charger. The older Model S configurations offered a 40A charger standard with an option to upgrade to 80A (‘dual chargers‘).

Tesla also made the automatic lift gate now a standard option which makes sense for a premium vehicle in this price range.

Included in the premium upgrade package is the BioWeapon defense mode air filtration system, as well as ambient interior lighting (previously an optional upgrade).

Pricing

While there were many rumors of a Model S price increase leading up to this design refresh, the new updates do not seem to be reflected in the price.

“The new Model S may actually be less expensive than before”

I priced out the latest Model S with options that I chose from before, and compared the new price side by side with one I previously saved.

Side by Side

The price from before was $98,450 and the new price is $104,450, but despite the price difference there are a couple of key differences which makes for the price disparity. Let me explain.

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The last time I configured a Model S I couldn’t locate a high amperage/dual charger option so my $98,450 does not include that option. On the other hand, the updated Model S comes with a 48A charger as a standard feature. This is included in the base price of the vehicle.

Tesla also no longer offers the S85D which I priced-out back then, so this new price is for the 90D. In the past the extra 5 kWh was a $3,000 option.

If you back both of those out to the new price you get to a price difference of $99,950 or a price increase of $500. Keep in mind that the updated Model S also comes with a center console (previously a $650 extra charge) and the new air filtration system. Depending on how you look at it, the new Model S may actually be less expensive than before.

One could easily make the case that the new offering is an improvement over what Tesla offered before and is actually less expensive.

Summary

It’s great to see Tesla keeping the Model S design fresh and current despite all of the activity going on within the company, let alone conquering challenges with launching the Model X and preparing for the Model 3. Being able to pull off this current update – factoring in changes to production, logistics, service, etc – Tesla continues to defy naysayers and show the world what ingenuity and perseverance can accomplish in such a short amount of time.

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"Rob's passion is technology and gadgets. An engineer by profession and an executive and founder at several high tech startups Rob has a unique view on technology and some strong opinions. When he's not writing about Tesla

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Lucid and Uber team with Nuro for new robotaxi program with Gravity SUV

The plan currently is to launch it to the public in the Bay later this year.

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Credit: Lucid

Lucid and Uber are teaming up with Nuro to launch an autonomous robotaxi program utilizing the automaker’s Gravity SUV. The project will be unveiled at CES 2026, introducing an in-cabin rider experience completely designed by Uber, the world’s largest ride-sharing service.

Back in 2025, the partnership between the three companies was announced, aiming to launch a unique ride-sharing platform using over 20,000 Lucid vehicles equipped with the Nuro Driver technology. The vehicles are owned and operated by Uber.

The companies have already initiated some testing in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is a big step in the right direction for the project. The plan currently is to launch it to the public in the Bay later this year. Nuro will lead the testing using robotaxi engineering prototypes that are supervised by autonomous vehicle operators.

Currently, there are over 100 robotaxis in the Engineering Test Fleet.

The Gravity vehicles are fitted with a next-gen sensor array featuring high-res cameras, solid-state LiDAR sensors, and radars that will provide a 360-perception model, as well as a “purpose-built roof-mounted halo designed to maximize sensor visibility,” which is seen on top of the Gravity unit above.

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The halo also has integrated LEDs to help riders more easily identify the correct vehicle by displaying their initials. The halo will also provide clear status updates from pickup through dropoff.

These units for the robotaxi program between the three companies will start being produced later this year at Lucid’s Arizona AMP-1 factory.

Uber chose the Lucid Gravity specifically due to its “unprecedented comfort” and its reputation, as it was named to Car and Driver’s 10 Best for 2026. But Uber is customizing some things for the Gravity so that it is specifically catered to robotaxi riders:

  • For the first time, Uber is designing the in-vehicle rider experience, which will include interactive screens with entertainment and climate control options, as well as support contacts and vehicle maneuver requests, like a request to pull over.
  • It will also have in-vehicle visualization, showing what the robotaxi sees and its path in real-time. This will be a nice transition for those who are skeptical about driverless vehicles, and will show what the vehicle and its sensors, LiDAR, and cameras see.
  • The Gravity is also a sizeable SUV, which will give riders space for themselves and their luggage.

This is the latest application of a ride-hailing platform that leans on autonomy for its operation, essentially phasing out the need for human drivers in various markets, starting with the Bay Area.

More companies are dipping their toes in the project, giving them the opportunity to establish some early momentum, as there are only a handful of companies that are currently operating this in the United States. Uber, Lucid, and Nuro aim to be the next, and initiating this program at this time is big for their chance at success.

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Tesla Cybercab test fleet expands in Austin and Bay Area

In total, the Robotaxi fleet is comprised of 139 total vehicles in both Austin and the Bay Area. The vast majority of these units are Model Y cars, but the Cybercab is the most recent addition to the fleet. 

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Credit: Adan Guajardo

Tesla has expanded its fleet of Cybercab test units in both Austin and the Bay Area of California, as the vehicle is heading toward the first production stages, hopefully early this year.

As the first few units were spotted in Austin late last year, Tesla is now operating seven total Cybercab units in testing, three of which were spotted over the weekend in Texas. Bay Area testing just started on January 3, with both units also being added to the fleet on Saturday and Sunday.

In total, there are seven Cybercabs now operating, according to Robotaxi Tracker, each with different license plates that have been observed over the course of the last several weeks; the first unit was spotted in Austin on December 18.

The expansion of the Cybercab test fleet is a slow but steady process that Tesla is taking to get the car on public roads ahead of its initial production stages.

CEO Elon Musk said last week that Tesla has already started some test production phases of the vehicle at Gigafactory Texas, which is located outside of Austin.

Tesla Cybercab tests are going on overdrive with production-ready units

However, it will likely be some time before Tesla actually adds it to the fleet for rides that are available to the public. Tesla plans to build it without a steering wheel or pedals, so the company will have to reach Level 5 autonomy at that point before customers can hail rides and take it to their destination.

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In total, the Robotaxi fleet is comprised of 139 total vehicles in both Austin and the Bay Area. The vast majority of these units are Model Y cars, but the Cybercab is the most recent addition to the fleet.

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Tesla Germany’s “Giga Train’s” improved service gets rave reviews

As per recent reports, Tesla’s free “train”Giga Train” service will increase its daily trips to six starting this week. 

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Credit: Jürgen Stegemann/LinkedIn

Tesla has expanded its employee shuttle service from Berlin Ostbahnhof East Station to the Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. As per recent reports, Tesla’s free “train”Giga Train” service has increased its daily trips to six starting this week. 

The service has so far received positive reviews from the facility’s employees, some of whom noted that the upgraded shuttle train has reduced their travel time by a notable margin.

Giga Berlin’s expanded shuttle service

As noted in a rbb24 report, Giga Berlin’s free shuttle train now operates six times daily, up from one previously. The service also goes directly to the Model Y production facility without stopping at other stations. Tesla employee Dené Schunck described the service to rbb24 in a comment: “The shuttle goes directly to the factory site, without any transfers, which reduces the commute time for our employees by almost half,” Schunck stated. 

Operated by Ostdeutsche Eisenbahngesellschaft (Odeg) after switching from Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn (NEB), Giga Berlin’s shuttle train, which also stops at Ostkreuz and Erkner, remains free for all riders, including non-Tesla employees. It has been fully funded by Tesla Germany since September 2023.

Employees praised the changes: One Giga Berlin worker stated that it “definitely makes the journey easier” because employees “used to need two hours for the round trip from Berlin, but now it’s significantly faster.”

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Tesla Germany’s previous comments

In late 2025, reports emerged stating that Tesla Germany will be expanding its shuttle train service by adding direct rail trips from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Giga Berlin-Brandenburg. In a comment, Tesla Germany stated that the updated service would mirror the shift changes for the Model Y factory’s employees.

“The service includes six daily trips, which also cover our shift times. The trains will run between Berlin Ostbahnhof (with a stop at Ostkreuz) and Erkner station to the Gigafactory,” Tesla Germany noted. 

At the time, Tesla Germany also stated that despite construction being done at Fangschleuse and Köpenick stations, the route of the Giga Train has been optimized to maintain a predictable 35-minute travel time. This should provide Tesla Germany’s employees with a convenient way to travel to and from Giga Berlin. 

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