News
Porsche Taycan reportedly getting enhanced battery pack to improve range
Porsche is reportedly planning to roll out an enhanced battery pack for Taycan Turbo, Turbo S, and 4S. The improved battery will optimize the electric car’s energy consumption and improve its range.
Members of the Taycan EV Forum discussed the latest Porsche Taycan rumor following a post by @ClarkDennisM on Twitter about his order for a Taycan Turbo.
The details about the updated battery were confirmed by a representative at Bellevue Porsche, according to Porsche and Tesla owner TaycanDude who is also a member of the said forum. “It is unclear, per my rep, if the new pack is hardware or software, am awaiting more details from my rep in the coming days/weeks. Factory info share/drip feed to actual dealerships has been a bottleneck but my rep always come[s] thru with accurate info,” TaycanDude wrote.
The Taycan reservation holder added that the Porsche representative has shared accurate information in the past, and he has known him for over a decade.
https://twitter.com/ClarkDennisM/status/1229849031012052993
The Taycan uses an 800-volt system voltage instead of the usual 400 volts used in most electric cars. The Taycan Turbo and the Turbo S have battery packs with a total capacity of 93.4kWh. According to Porsche, the battery of the Taycan is integrated into the car’s cooling circuit via a line system and a coolant pump that allows it to operate in an ideal temperature window. The system dissipates as little heat as possible to the environment so it can be energy-efficient during the colder months. It also acts as thermal storage as it can store waste heat from high-voltage components.
The news about the Porsche Taycan’s enhanced battery pack come amid a barrage of negative reports about the electric car, many of which were driven by the vehicle’s subpar EPA range ratings. Whether it will come as a software or hardware update, this development can help reshape the negative narrative around the Porsche Taycan so far.
In December, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated the range of the Taycan Turbo at 201 miles per charge, which shows it lags behind competitors such as Tesla, Audi, and Jaguar. The Taycan’s range pales in comparison to the Model S, whose Long Range Plus variant now has a range of 390 miles per charge.
Over the weekend, Porsche spokesperson Calvin Kim confirmed that they are aware of the incident in Florida where an all-electric Taycan caught fire while the vehicle was parked overnight in a residential garage. Investigations are now ongoing about the incident.
“On Sunday, 16th February we were made aware of an incident at a residential address in Florida where one of our cars was parked overnight. We are investigating and we remain ready to assist if called upon. No one was harmed in this incident, and it’s too early to speculate on the cause until the investigation has concluded,” Kim told The Verge.
Check out the video below that shows the Porsche Taycan battery underneath the vehicle:
Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announces major update with texting and driving on FSD
“Depending on context of surrounding traffic, yes,” Musk said in regards to FSD v14.2.1 allowing texting and driving.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced a major update with texting and driving capabilities on Full Self-Driving v14.2.1, the company’s latest version of the FSD suite.
Tesla Full Self-Driving, even in its most mature and capable versions, is still a Level 2 autonomous driving suite, meaning it requires attention from the vehicle operator.
You cannot sleep, and you should not take attention away from driving; ultimately, you are still solely responsible for what happens with the car.
The vehicles utilize a cabin-facing camera to enable attention monitoring, and if you take your eyes off the road for too long, you will be admonished and advised to pay attention. After five strikes, FSD and Autopilot will be disabled.
However, Musk announced at the Annual Shareholder Meeting in early November that the company would look at the statistics, but it aimed to allow people to text and drive “within the next month or two.”
He said:
“I am confident that, within the next month or two, we’re gonna look at the safety statistics, but we will allow you to text and drive.”
“I am confident that, within the next month or two, we’re gonna look at the safety statistics, but we will allow you to text and drive.”
Does anyone think v14.3 will enable this? pic.twitter.com/N2yn0SK70M
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 23, 2025
Today, Musk confirmed that the current version of Full Self-Driving, which is FSD v14.2.1, does allow for texting and driving “depending on context of surrounding traffic.”
Depending on context of surrounding traffic, yes
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 4, 2025
There are some legitimate questions with this capability, especially as laws in all 50 U.S. states specifically prohibit texting and driving. It will be interesting to see the legality of it, because if a police officer sees you texting, they won’t know that you’re on Full Self-Driving, and you’ll likely be pulled over.
Some states prohibit drivers from even holding a phone when the car is in motion.
It is certainly a move toward unsupervised Full Self-Driving operation, but it is worth noting that Musk’s words state it will only allow the vehicle operator to do it depending on the context of surrounding traffic.
He did not outline any specific conditions that FSD would allow a driver to text and drive.
News
Tesla Semi just got a huge vote of confidence from 300-truck fleet
The confidential meeting marks a major step for the mid-sized carrier in evaluating the electric truck for its regional routes.
The Tesla Semi is moving closer to broader fleet adoption, with Keller Logistics Group wrapping up a key pre-production planning session with the electric vehicle maker’s team this week.
The confidential meeting marks a major step for the mid-sized carrier in evaluating the electric truck for its regional routes.
Keller’s pre-production Tesla Semi sessions
Keller Logistics Group, a family-owned carrier with over 300 tractors and 1,000 trailers operating in the Midwest and Southeast, completed the session to assess the Tesla Semi’s fit for its operations. The company’s routes typically span 500-600 miles per day, positioning it as an ideal tester for the Semi’s day cab configuration in standard logistics scenarios.
Details remain under mutual NDA, but the meeting reportedly focused on matching the truck to yard, shuttle and regional applications while scrutinizing economics like infrastructure, maintenance and incentives.
What Keller’s executives are saying
CEO Bryan Keller described the approach as methodical. “For us, staying ahead isn’t a headline, it’s a habit. From electrification and yard automation to digital visibility and warehouse technology, our teams are continually pressure-testing what’s next. The Tesla Semi discussion is one more way we evaluate new tools against our standards for safety, uptime, and customer ROI. We don’t chase trends, we pressure-test what works,” Keller said.
Benjamin Pierce, Chief Strategy Officer, echoed these sentiments. “Electrification and next-generation powertrains are part of a much broader transformation. Whether it’s proprietary yard systems like YardLink™, solar and renewable logistics solutions, or real-time vehicle intelligence, Keller’s approach stays the same, test it, prove it, and deploy it only when it strengthens service and total cost for our customers,” Pierce said.
News
Tesla extends FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe by three months
Needless to say, it does appear that FSD fever is starting to catch in Europe.
Tesla appears to be doubling down on its European Full Self-Driving (Supervised) push, with the company extending its demo ride-along program by three months until the end of March 2026. The update seems to have been implemented due to overwhelming demand.
Needless to say, it does appear that FSD fever is starting to catch in Europe.
Extended FSD demonstrations
Tesla EU Policy and Business Development Manager Ivan Komušanac shared on LinkedIn that the company is offering ride-along experiences in Germany, France and Italy while working toward FSD (Supervised) approval in Europe.
He noted that this provides a great feedback opportunity from the general public, encouraging participants to record and share their experiences. For those unable to book in December, Komušanac teased more slots as “Christmas presents.”
Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt highlighted the extension on X, stating that dates now run from December 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, in multiple cities including Stuttgart-Weinstadt, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf in Germany. This suggests that the FSD ride-along program in Europe has officially been extended until the end of the first quarter of 2026.
Building momentum for European approval
Replies to Merritt’s posts buzzed with excitement, with users like @AuzyMale noting that Cologne and Düsseldorf are already fully booked. This sentiment was echoed by numerous other Tesla enthusiasts on social media. Calls for the program’s expansion to other European territories have also started gaining steam, with some X users suggesting Switzerland and Finland as the next locations for FSD ride-alongs.
Ultimately, the Tesla EU Policy and Business Development Manager’s post aligns with the company’s broader FSD efforts in Europe. As per recent reports, Tesla recently demonstrated FSD’s capabilities for Rome officials. Reporters from media outlets in France and Germany have also published positive reviews of FSD’s capabilities on real-world roads.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announces major update with texting and driving on FSD
Tesla Semi just got a huge vote of confidence from 300-truck fleet
