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Cybertruck, R1T and F-150 Lightning Hollister Hills stairs runs compared

Credit (left-to-right): DirtyTesla on X; omg_Tesla on X; jimfarlery98 on X

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2 years ago

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Clips of a Tesla Cybertruck climbing the stair steps at the Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) have circulated widely this week, especially after a Rivian R1T owner followed up with a video of their electric pickup performing the same obstacle. Now, Ford CEO Jim Farley has also chimed in, showing off footage of the same California stair steps driven by the Ford F-150 Lightning.

Multiple of Tesla’s Cybertrucks were seen during a round of testing at the SVRA site ahead of its initial deliveries later this month, as were originally spotted a few weeks ago, and shared in a post on Instagram. The R1T and F-150 Lightning attempts at the steps have since been shared on X, along with additional angles of the Cybertruck release candidate performing the obstacle.

Some have criticized the Cybertruck’s performance since the video’s release, as the R1T run seems to handle the stairs a little bit more quickly, at the very least. The F-150 Lightning also performs the stair step with some level of ease, though it’s not quite as clean of a run as the R1T footage seems to accomplish. Others have also said that a different driver could change each of these runs completely, and that an experienced off-road driver would have handled the Cybertruck’s run differently.

Tesla Cybertruck sighting next to Rivian R1T shows size comparison

It’s also worth noting that Tesla’s Cybertrucks were pre-production vehicles testing, as the trucks haven’t yet been delivered to customers at this time — and they clearly show “release candidate” decals to signify this.

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User omg_Tesla, who posted the R1T footage on X, also points out that the stair step obstacle is primarily made from cement, created to offer a particularly low-traction surface to force vehicles to flex and articulate their suspension levels. The more vehicles that drive up, the user says, the more trails of dirt are left behind, making the path more slippery. A few other vehicles can also be seen driving around on the steps in the original Cybertruck footage, presumably making them more difficult during Tesla’s tests.

In any case, it’s hard to deny that all three of these pickups manage the obstacle relatively well, especially given that they’re early fully electric models in an emerging sector.

You can watch the Tesla Cybertruck, the Rivian R1T and the Ford F-150 Lightning drive on the Hollister Hills SVRA stairs below, and you can tell us your conclusions down in the comments section.

Tesla Cybertruck performing the Hollister Hills SVRA stair step

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Rivian R1T performing the Hollister Hills SVRA stair step

Ford F-150 Lightning performing the Hollister Hills SVRA stair step

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla begins Holiday Update rollout with some surprise features

On Monday, just a few days after Tesla first announced the Holiday Update, people started reporting that it was being deployed to owners.

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2 hours ago

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December 9, 2025

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Credit: Grok

Tesla has started the rollout of the 2025 Holiday Update, as several owners reported it had arrived in their cars via a software update.

Tesla’s Holiday Update is rolling out as Software Version 2025.44.25.1, and includes several new features. We did an extensive breakdown of what was included in another article, but we’ll list the new additions below:

  • Grok with Navigation Commands (Beta) – Grok will now add and edit destinations.
  • Tesla Photobooth – Take pictures inside your car using the cabin-facing camera
  • Dog Mode Live Activity – Check on your four-legged friend on your phone through periodic snapshots taken of the cabin
  • Dashcam Viewer Update – Includes new metrics, like steering wheel angle, speed, and more
  • Santa Mode – New graphics, trees, and a lock chime
  • Light Show Update – Addition of Jingle Rush light show
  • Custom Wraps and License Plates – Colorizer now allows you to customize your vehicle even further, with custom patterns, license plates, and tint
  • Navigation Improvements – Easier layout and setup
  • Supercharger Site Map – Starting at 18 pilot locations, a 3D view of the Supercharger you’re visiting will be available
  • Automatic Carpool Lane Routing – Navigation will utilize carpool lanes if enabled
  • Phone Left Behind Chime – Your car will now tell you if you left a phone inside
  • Charge Limit Per Location – Set a charge limit for each location
  • ISS Docking Simulator –  New game
  • Additional Improvements – Turn off wireless charging pad, Spotify improvements, Rainbow Rave Cave, Lock Sound TRON addition

On Monday, just a few days after Tesla first announced the Holiday Update, people started reporting that it was being deployed to owners.

It seems the release is a bit of an apology to a particular group, as it has only made its way to Hardware 3 vehicles, particularly the ones using the AMD Ryzen chip.

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Tesla has excluded FSD-purchased and subscribed vehicles that are utilizing Hardware 3, so it seems there is a strategy to this limited rollout.

Two Surprise Additions

Tesla has added two additional features with the Holiday Update, which include a new Storage Space for Dashcam feature that shows how much space you have used and remaining on your USB drive.

Additionally, Tesla gamified Supercharging with a new “Charging Passport” feature, which we reported on earlier today.

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Tesla announces major milestone at Gigafactory Shanghai

First deliveries started in December 2019, with the first units being given to employees. By the end of 2020, the plant was building cars at a run rate of around 150,000 vehicles annually.

Published

5 hours ago

on

December 8, 2025

By

Credit: Tesla

Tesla has announced a major milestone at its Chinese manufacturing facility, Gigafactory Shanghai, confirming on Monday that it had built its four millionth vehicle.

Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai first started building cars back in October 2019 with Model 3 assembly, just ten months after the company broke ground on the plant’s 86-hectare piece of land.

First deliveries started in December 2019, with the first units being given to employees. By the end of 2020, the plant was building cars at a run rate of around 150,000 vehicles annually. Production continued to ramp up, and by September 2023, less than three years after it started building Tesla’s EVs, it had built its two millionth vehicle.

Fast forward to December 2025, and Tesla has confirmed that four million cars have rolled off of production lines at the plant, a major milestone in the six short years it has been active:

The capacity at Giga Shanghai is exceeding 950,000 vehicles per year, and this year, the company has delivered 675,000 cars through the first three quarters. It is also the only plant to manufacture the Model Y L, a longer wheel-based configuration of the all-electric crossover that is exclusive to the Chinese market.

Gigafactory Shanghai’s four million cars have not all stayed within the domestic market, either. For a considerable period, the factory was exporting a significant portion of its monthly production to Europe, helping Gigafactory Berlin supplement some Model Y volume and all of its Model 3 deliveries. This is due to the Berlin plant’s exclusive production plans for the Model 3.

The site is one of the most crucial in the company’s global plans, and Gigafactory Shanghai’s incredible pace, which has led to four million production units in just about six years. It’s fair to say that it won’t be long until we’re seeing Tesla celebrate the plant’s five millionth vehicle produced, which should happen sometime late next year or in early 2027, based on its current manufacturing pace.

The company also builds the Megapack on the property in an adjacent Megafactory.

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Tesla gamifies Supercharging with new ‘Charging Passport’

It will also include things like badges for special charging spots, among other metrics that will show all of the different places people have traveled to plug in for range.

Published

16 hours ago

on

December 8, 2025

By

Credit: MarcoRP | X

Tesla is gamifying its Supercharging experience by offering a new “Charging Passport,” hoping to add a new layer to the ownership experience.

While it is not part of the Holiday Update, it is rolling out around the same time and offers a handful of cool new features.

Tesla’s Charging Passport will be available within the smartphone app and will give a yearly summary of your charging experience, helping encapsulate your travel for that year.

It will also include things like badges for special charging spots, among other metrics that will show all of the different places people have traveled to plug in for range.

Tesla will include the following metrics within the new Charging Passport option within the Tesla app:

  • Charging badges: Iconic charging badges for visiting places like the Tesla Diner, Oasis Supercharger, etc., Explorer Badge, and more
  • Total Unique Superchargers Visited
  • Total Charging Sessions
  • Total Miles Added during Charging Sessions
  • Top Charging Day
  • Longest Trip
  • Favorite Charging Locations

This will give people a unique way to see their travels throughout the year, and although it is not necessarily something that is needed or adds any genuine value, it is something that many owners will like to look back on. After all, things like Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay have been a great way for people to see what music they listened to throughout the year.

This is essentially Tesla’s version of that.

With a handful of unique Superchargers already active, Tesla is also building some new ones, like a UFO-inspired location in New Mexico, near Roswell.

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Tesla is building a new UFO-inspired Supercharger in the heart of Alien country

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