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Tesla is designing an electric pump system that makes its drive units even better
Amidst Tesla’s continued efforts to usher in an era of mobility optimized for the convenience and safety of car owners, the electric car maker is exploring new ways to improve its vehicles’ systems. Recently published patent applications, for one, indicate that Tesla is working on better damage monitoring features, as well as safer seats that are capable of classifying a car’s occupants. Apart from these, Tesla is also looking into improving its vehicles’ electric pump system, which could ultimately result in better cooling and diagnostics.
The patent application, published on January 3, 2019 and titled “Electric Pump System and Method,” explores improvements that could be implemented on traditional pump systems used in automobiles. As noted by Tesla, traditional oil pumps, particularly those that are used for EV components such as the drive unit, do not have the capability to monitor oil condition. As a result, oil that is used to lubricate an electric car’s drive unit need to be changed on a regular basis (albeit very infrequently).
In the discussion section of its patent application, Tesla pointed out that traditional oil pumps are unable to accurately determine temperature, since temperature sensors are usually located outside of a conventional pump system. Apart from this, the electric car maker notes that conventional oil pumps are also large and unwieldy due to attachment mechanisms comprised of different parts. With these points for improvement in mind, Tesla has pointed out that there is a need for an “improved oil pump — in particular an electric pump system — designed to work in conjunction with an electric motor.”
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Illustrations from Tesla’s recently published patent application for an electric pump system. (Photo: US Patent Office)
Tesla’s patent describes an electric pump system that “presents methods and structures that help overcome the difficulties of operating a cooling and lubrication system, in particular, managing the transfer of heat and assessment of fluid temperature in electric pump systems.” The Silicon Valley-based carmaker describes its electric pump system design as follows.
“There is provided an apparatus that includes an electronic control unit, a mechanical pump, and a motor having a first side and a second side, the motor including: a stator, a rotor including a hollow shaft, and a housing around the stator and rotor, wherein the electronic control unit is connected to the first side of the motor, wherein the mechanical pump is connected to the second side of the motor, wherein the hollow shaft defines a shaft inlet and a shaft outlet, wherein the mechanical pump defines a first fluid passageway from a first pump inlet to the shaft inlet, wherein the housing defines an internal motor cavity, wherein the shaft outlet is in fluid communication with the internal motor cavity, wherein the mechanical pump defines a second fluid passageway from a second pump inlet to a pump outlet, and wherein the motor housing and mechanical pump define a third fluid passageway from the internal motor cavity to the pump outlet via a third pump inlet.”
“In some embodiments the apparatus according to the above-described aspect of the present disclosure or any other aspects thereof, a number of optional operations and features may be employed. One optional feature is the electronic control unit further including a thermistor to measure a temperature of a fluid exiting the shaft outlet. Another optional feature is wherein the housing defines a bypass inlet in fluid communication with the internal motor cavity. Another optional feature is at least a portion of the second fluid passageway and the third fluid passageway is common. Another optional feature is the mechanical pump is a gerotor. Another optional feature is the electronic control unit includes a microcontroller controlling the mechanical pump. Another optional feature is the electronic control unit includes cooling ribs.”
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- (Photo: US Patent Office)
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Illustrations from Tesla’s recently published patent application for an electric pump system. (Photo: US Patent Office)
With such a design, the fluid temperature inside the electric pump system could be used to control and optimize the lubrication system of a vehicle, thereby improving the efficiency of an electric drive unit. Depending on the temperature of the oil in the system, the electric pump could react accordingly, even warning the vehicle’s computers that something is wrong. The readings from the electric pump system can be used to monitor the health of a vehicle’s drive unit as well. Tesla explains this process in the following discussion.
“The fluid temperature may be controlled to achieve certain lubrication properties. For example, hotter oil has lower viscosity which reduces drag and hydraulic power to pump the fluid, which can increase efficiency. If the oil becomes too hot, however, it will not provide sufficient cooling. The fluid temperature reading feature of the oil pump can monitor the general health and performance of the fluid in the electric drive unit system. For example, if the oil is too hot, the oil pump may alert the car computer that something is wrong, for oil that is too hot can damage or/and reduce the life of some components on the drive unit.”
“Stated another way, the temperature of fluid may be used to monitor the health and performance of the drive unit. The ECU may capture other information besides the temperature, such as pump speed, pump current composition, oil pressure, or other information. The information captured by the ECU may then be fed into a proprietary algorithm that monitors oil pump and overall drive unit health. The algorithm may provide an indication of service, such as when oil must be replaced or when the drive train needs to be serviced.”
What is particularly notable is that these improvements could result in enhancements to Tesla’s drive units, which are already among the best in the industry. The Model 3’s drive unit, for one, has been lauded by veteran teardown experts such as Sandy Munro as industry-leading. In a recent appearance at Autoline TV, for one, Munro noted that Tesla’s drive units are practically a class above its competitors.
Tesla’s constant efforts to improve its vehicles are highlighted by the patent applications from the company that have been published over the past months. Among these include an automatic tire inflation system that hints at off-road capabilities for the company’s vehicles, a system that allows Tesla to address panel gaps during vehicle assembly, a way to produce colored solar roof tiles, and even a model that utilizes electric cars as a way to improve vehicle positioning, to name a few.
The full text of Tesla’s recently published patent application could be read here.
News
Tesla expands Robotaxi in a way that was long anticipated
Instead, it has to do with the consumer base it offers Robotaxi to, because it has not offered it to everyone in the past.
Tesla has expanded Robotaxi in a way that was long anticipated, and it does not have to do with a new, larger geofence in a city where it already offered its partially autonomous ride-hailing suite, or a new city altogether.
Instead, it has to do with the consumer base it offers Robotaxi to, because it has not offered it to everyone in the past.
Tesla has taken a major step forward in its autonomous ride-hailing ambitions with the official launch of the Tesla Robotaxi app for Android users. Released on the Google Play Store on April 24. Titled simply “Tesla Robotaxi,” the app is now available to download directly from Tesla.
The @Tesla Robtoaxi App has just officially launched for Android users. Go get some rides y’all!
Download: https://t.co/D2jIONXc91 pic.twitter.com/rQ6TD14zkC
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) April 24, 2026
This rollout fulfills a long-anticipated expansion that opens the service to hundreds of millions of Android smartphone users who were previously unable to access it on iOS alone.
The app delivers a streamlined, driverless ride experience powered by Tesla’s automated driving technology.
Users sign in with a Tesla Account, view the current service area map within the app, enter a destination, and receive an estimated fare and arrival time before confirming the ride. When a Model Y from the Robotaxi fleet arrives, riders confirm the license plate, enter the vehicle, fasten their seatbelt, and tap “Start Ride” on either the app or the vehicle’s touchscreen.
During the trip, passengers have access to all the same controls that iOS users do, and can adjust climate settings, seat positions, and music while tracking progress on an in-app map. The interface also allows drop-off changes or support requests if needed. After the ride, users exit, close the doors, and submit feedback.
This Android availability directly broadens the rider base for Robotaxi in its initial service areas. Unfortunately, Android users are used to being subject to delayed launches of new features available to Tesla owners.
By removing the iOS-only barrier, Tesla instantly expands the addressable market, enabling far more people to summon and use the autonomous vehicles already operating on public roads.
The move is a foundational requirement for scaling ride volume and gathering the real-world data needed to refine the unsupervised Full Self-Driving system that powers every trip.
For the Robotaxi program itself, the launch signals steady operational progress. It prepares the service for higher utilization rates as the fleet grows and supports the transition from limited early deployments to a more robust network.
Tesla expands Unsupervised Robotaxi service to two new cities
Tesla has indicated that users outside current service areas can sign up at the company’s website for future notifications, pointing to a deliberate, phased geographic rollout.
Looking ahead, the company plans to incorporate Cybercab vehicles to increase fleet capacity and efficiency while continuing to expand service territories. With the Android app now live, Tesla has removed a key adoption hurdle and positioned Robotaxi for the next phase of growth in autonomous urban transportation.
The infrastructure is now in place to support significantly larger rider demand as production and deployment accelerate.
News
UPDATE: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy that launched a Tesla into space is back on a mission
SpaceX Falcon Heavy returns after 18 months away to deliver a satellite that only it could carry.
UPDATE: 10:29 a.m. et: SpaceX is standing down from today’s Falcon Heavy launch of the ViaSat-3 F3 mission due to unfavorable weather. A new target date will be shared once confirmed.
After an 18-month absence, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy is returning to mission on Monday morning when it’s scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center at 10:21 a.m. EDT.
The mission is called ViaSat-3 F3, and the heavy satellite payload needs to reach geostationary orbit, sitting 22,236 miles above Earth where its speed matches the planet’s rotation. Getting a satellite that heavy to that altitude demands more thrust than a single-core Falcon 9 can deliver.
This marks the Falcon Heavy’s 12th flight overall since its debut in February 2018, and its first since NASA’s Europa Clipper mission in October 2024.
Arguably, the most exciting element for spectators will be watching the booster recoveries in action when the two side boosters, B1072 and B1075, will attempt simultaneous landings at Landing Zone 2 and the newer Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, while the center core will be expended over the ocean.
SpaceX wins its first MARS contract but it comes with a catch
Following satellite deployment, expected roughly five hours after launch, ViaSat-3 F3 will spend several months traveling to its final orbital slot before undergoing in-orbit testing, with service entry expected by late summer 2026
As Teslarati reported, NASA awarded SpaceX a $175.7 million contract on April 16, 2026, to launch the ESA Rosalind Franklin Mars rover aboard a Falcon Heavy no earlier than late 2028, which would mark the first time SpaceX has ever sent a payload to Mars. That contract came on top of an already deep pipeline that includes the Roman Space Telescope, the Dragonfly Saturn mission, and multiple national security payloads.
SpaceX executed 165 missions in 2025 and now accounts for approximately 85% of all global orbital launches. With Starlink surpassing 10 million subscribers and an IPO targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation still ahead, Monday’s launch is one more data point in a company that has quietly become the backbone of both commercial and government space access worldwide.
Tesla is launching its solution to end Supercharger fights once and for all, eliminating any confusion on who is to charge next at a congested location.
Last year, a notable incident at a Tesla Supercharger led to a fight, and it all stemmed from a disagreement over who arrived at the location first.
Congestion at Tesla Superchargers is a pretty infrequent occurrence for most of us, but there are more congested and popular areas where wait times can be extensive. An unfortunate growing pain of EV ownership is the plain fact that chargers are not as available as gas pumps, and there are, at times, lines to charge.
This can cause tensions to flare and people to get entitled when visiting Superchargers. Nobody wants to spend hours at a Supercharger, but now, there will be no more confusion when there is a queue, and that’s thanks to Tesla’s new Virtual Queue for Superchargers.
Tesla is finally starting to build out the Virtual Supercharger Queue, according to Not a Tesla App, but it still relies on drivers to make it work.
When a driver is near a Supercharger that is full, a message will pop up on the Tesla App, using the driver’s location to determine their eligibility to join the virtual queue.
The app states:
“While the app is closed, Tesla uses your location to notify you of accurate wait times at Superchargers when you arrive.”
Another message within the app states:
“There is a waitlist to charge. Are you sure you want to start a charging session now?”
This sounds as if it will require drivers to act appropriately and only plug in when the app prompts them to do so, by letting them know it is their turn.
The app will notify the driver of their position in the queue, as well as how many vehicles are ahead of them.
Tesla launches first ‘true’ East Coast V4 Supercharger: here’s what that means
The company announced a while back that it would be working on a solution for this issue. Personally, I’ve only had to wait at a Supercharger for a charge on one occasion, and there was a line of between 3 and 10 cars during this singular occurrence.
I’m out at the Lancaster, PA Supercharger and showed up with a queue of three vehicles.
It’s now up to five and there have been several issues with order of arrival and confusion about who is first.
Any update on Supercharger queue? @elonmusk @aelluswamy @r_jegaa
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 31, 2026
There were no conflicts or arguments about who had arrived first, but there was some discussion between several drivers during my time there about who was to charge first. Throw a non-Tesla EV into the mix, one that can only charge at a pull-in spot, and that causes even more of a complication.
Tesla expands Robotaxi in a way that was long anticipated
UPDATE: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy that launched a Tesla into space is back on a mission
