The Long Range versions of the 2021 Model 3, better known in the EV community as the “refresh” variant, might be equipped with an upgraded battery pack. This was hinted at in papers sent to Tesla customers in Europe, which indicate that the new Model 3 will have an 82 kWh battery pack.
As mentioned by users of tff-forum.de, Tesla customers in Europe typically receive paperwork about their vehicles before the car arrives in the region. This way, the vehicles could be registered beforehand and a smooth pickup can be guaranteed.
It surprised Tesla enthusiast and tff-forum.de user HolgerS when his documentation showed that his Model 3 would be equipped with an 82 kWh battery pack. Observations from the EV community in the region, as related by r/TeslaMotors member u/Corio13 indicate that 2019 and 2020 Model 3 were shipped with a 79 kWh pack.
These battery improvements in the refreshed Model 3 appear to be due to the updates that are being rolled out by Tesla battery partner Panasonic in Gigafactory Nevada. Back in September, Panasonic Energy of North America vice president of production engineering and facilities Carl Walton revealed that the company will be producing next-gen batteries in the facility.
According to Walton, Panasonic’s updated batteries improve energy density by about 5% compared to its previous cells. The cells are also expected to be abut 1.4x denser than competing iron phosphate batteries, making them one of the world’s battery cells with the highest energy density. These improvements are only a step, however, since Walton hinted that Panasonic is looking to increase the energy density of its batteries by 20%.
The improvements to the Model 3’s batteries will likely accelerate once the company starts rolling out its next-generation 4680 tabless cells. During a briefing last month, Panasonic’s Chief Financial Officer Hirokazu Umeda revealed that work is currently underway to build a prototype pilot production line for Tesla’s 4680 cells in Gigafactory Nevada.
“We have considerable know-how for that battery. We started working on it immediately after Tesla’s Battery Day and are also preparing to set up a prototype production line in parallel,” Umeda said.
Tesla’s new Model 3, which is now shipping to customers, have shown some improvements in their EPA ratings. the Long Range Dual Motor AWD variant is now listed with 353 miles of range per charge.
News
Tesla’s longer Model Y did not scale back requests for this vehicle type from fans
Tesla fans are happy with the new Model Y, but they’re still vocal about the need for something else.

Tesla launched a slightly longer version of the Model Y all-electric crossover in China, and with it being extremely likely that the vehicle will make its way to other markets, including the United States, fans are still looking for something more.
The new Model Y L in China boasts a slightly larger wheelbase than its original version, giving slightly more interior room with a sixth seat, thanks to a third row.
Tesla exec hints at useful and potentially killer Model Y L feature
Tesla has said throughout the past year that it would focus on developing its affordable, compact models, which were set to begin production in the first half of the year. The company has not indicated whether it met that timeline or not, but many are hoping to see unveilings of those designs potentially during the Q3 earnings call.
However, the modifications to the Model Y, which have not yet been officially announced for any markets outside of China, still don’t seem to be what owners and fans are looking forward to. Instead, they are hoping for something larger.
A few months ago, I reported on the overall consensus within the Tesla community that the company needs a full-size SUV, minivan, or even a cargo van that would be ideal for camping or business use.
Tesla is missing one type of vehicle in its lineup and fans want it fast
That mentality still seems very present amongst fans and owners, who state that a full-size SUV with enough seating for a larger family, more capability in terms of cargo space for camping or business operation, and something to compete with gas cars like the Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition, or electric ones like the Volkswagen ID.BUZZ.
We asked the question on X, and Tesla fans were nearly unanimously in support of a larger SUV or minivan-type vehicle for the company’s lineup:
🚨 More and more people are *still* saying that, despite this new, longer Model Y, Tesla still needs a true three-row SUV
Do you agree? https://t.co/QmbRDcCE08 pic.twitter.com/p6m5zB4sDZ
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 16, 2025
Here’s what some of the respondents said:
100% agree, we need a larger vehicle.
Our model Y is quickly getting too small for our family of 5 as the kids grow. A slightly longer Y with an extra seat is nice but it’s not enough if you’re looking to take it on road trips/vacations/ kids sports gear etc.
Unfortunately we…
— Anthony Hunter (@_LiarsDice_) July 17, 2025
Had to buy a Kia Carnival Hybrid because Tesla doesn’t have a true 3 row vehicle with proper space and respectable range. pic.twitter.com/pzwFyHU8Gi
— Neil, like the astronaut (@Neileeyo) July 17, 2025
Agreed! I’m not sure who created this but I liked it enough to save it. pic.twitter.com/Sof5nMehjS
— 🦉Wise Words of Wisdom – Inspirational Quotes (IQ) (@WiseWordsIQ) July 16, 2025
Tesla is certainly aware that many of its owners would like the company to develop something larger that competes with the large SUVs on the market.
However, it has not stated that anything like that is in the current plans for future vehicles, as it has made a concerted effort to develop Robotaxi alongside the affordable, compact models that it claims are in development.
It has already unveiled the Robovan, a people-mover that can seat up to 20 passengers in a lounge-like interior.
The Robovan will be completely driverless, so it’s unlikely we will see it before the release of a fully autonomous Full Self-Driving suite from Tesla.
Energy
Tesla launches first Virtual Power Plant in UK – get paid to use solar
Tesla has launched its first-ever Virtual Power Plant program in the United Kingdom.

Tesla has launched its first-ever Virtual Power Plant program in the United Kingdom. This feature enables users of solar panels and energy storage systems to sell their excess energy back to the grid.
Tesla is utilizing Octopus Energy, a British renewable energy company that operates in multiple markets, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States, as the provider for the VPP launch in the region.
The company states that those who enroll in the program can earn up to £300 per month.
Tesla has operated several VPP programs worldwide, most notably in California, Texas, Connecticut, and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. This is not the first time Tesla has operated a VPP outside the United States, as there are programs in Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.
This is its first in the UK:
Our first VPP in the UK
You can get paid to share your energy – store excess energy in your Powerwall & sell it back to the grid
You’re making £££ and the community is powered by clean energy
Win-win pic.twitter.com/evhMtJpgy1
— Tesla UK (@tesla_uk) July 17, 2025
Tesla is not the only company that is working with Octopus Energy in the UK for the VPP, as it joins SolarEdge, GivEnergy, and Enphase as other companies that utilize the Octopus platform for their project operations.
It has been six years since Tesla launched its first VPP, as it started its first in Australia back in 2019. In 2024, Tesla paid out over $10 million to those participating in the program.
Participating in the VPP program that Tesla offers not only provides enrolled individuals with the opportunity to earn money, but it also contributes to grid stabilization by supporting local energy grids.
Elon Musk
Waymo responds to Tesla’s Robotaxi expansion in Austin with bold statement
Waymo and Tesla are surely in a battle of “mine’s bigger” right now.

Waymo has responded to Tesla’s Robotaxi expansion in Austin with a bold statement by extending its own geofence by a considerable margin.
Earlier this week, Tesla chose to expand its geofence for its driverless Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, substantially. The geofence more than doubled, bringing Tesla’s total serviceable area within Austin to approximately 42 square miles.
Tesla’s Robotaxi geofence in Austin grows, and its shape is hard to ignore
This put Tesla ahead of Waymo in terms of its service area in Austin, as the company’s geofence was just 37 square miles.
We reported on how significant this statement was for Tesla, as it has only been operating its driverless Robotaxi platform in Austin for less than a month, compared to Waymo, which has been there since March.
Tesla Robotaxi has already surpassed Waymo in this key metric
Waymo took it as a challenge, it seems, and expanded its geofence, and it did it impressively and massively. Now, Waymo’s geofence spans 90 square miles within Austin, including new neighborhoods such as Crestview, Windsor Park, Sunset Valley, Franklin Park, as well as popular tourist destinations like The Domain and McKinney Falls State Park.
The move “unlocks another key milestone in Austin as our operating territory with Waymo expands from 37 to 90 square miles, which means that even more riders can experience Waymo’s fully autonomous vehicles through the Uber app,” Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber, said.
Additionally, Shweta Shrivastava, Senior Director of Product Management at Waymo, said:
“Just months after serving our first Austin riders with Uber, we’re excited to offer our 24/7 service to more of the city. The service with our partners at Uber is healthy, and we are ready for more Austinites to experience the magic of fully autonomous driving. Austin remains one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and we are doing our part to grow with it.”
Across the U.S., this expansion brings Waymo’s service area to more than 700 square miles, as it also operates in California and Arizona.
Here’s what the two geofenced regions look like:
🚨 Here’s a comparison of Tesla Robotaxi vs Waymo geofences in Austin https://t.co/6jIaDwBm2I pic.twitter.com/B9jiCIU21F
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 17, 2025
The competition between Waymo and Tesla only benefits consumers, as the two companies are evidently sparring for a larger service area in Austin. Tesla launched its interestingly-shaped geofence expansion on Monday, and it seemed that the shape was more of a joke that could also be construed as a warning to competitors.
Tesla could more than likely have pushed its geofence to a larger size, but it purposely chose to do so in a comical fashion.
Now that Waymo has responded in this way, we’ll see if Tesla puts the jokes aside.
-
News24 hours ago
Tesla exec hints at useful and potentially killer Model Y L feature
-
Elon Musk22 hours ago
Waymo responds to Tesla’s Robotaxi expansion in Austin with bold statement
-
Elon Musk2 days ago
Elon Musk reveals SpaceX’s target for Starship’s 10th launch
-
Elon Musk3 days ago
Tesla ups Robotaxi fare price to another comical figure with service area expansion
-
News1 day ago
“Worthy of respect:” Six-seat Model Y L acknowledged by Tesla China’s biggest rivals
-
News18 hours ago
Tesla’s longer Model Y did not scale back requests for this vehicle type from fans
-
News2 days ago
First glimpse of Tesla Model Y with six seats and extended wheelbase
-
Elon Musk2 days ago
Elon Musk confirms Tesla is already rolling out a new feature for in-car Grok