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A Tesla Model S owner’s tale of how he pre-ordered the Porsche Taycan (Mission E) in Norway

[Credit: Jim Roger Johansen]

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Car enthusiast and Norway-based Model S owner Jim Roger Johansen admits that while his heart is with Tesla, the Porsche Taycan (formerly referred to as the Mission E sedan), “is something else.” Having a fondness for high-performance vehicles, Johansen states that he wants a high-performance electric car, but the next-generation Tesla Roadster, which starts at $200,000, is out of his price range. He is hoping that the Porsche Taycan would be the ideal vehicle to fill the gap between his Model S family car and the hypercar-beating next-generation Roadster.

Earlier this year, Johansen visited a Porsche dealer, expressing his interest in the vehicle then known as the Mission E sedan. During his visit, Porsche kept his email address and advised him that he would be receiving updates about the car. This April, he received a message from the German legacy automaker stating that the pre-orders for the Taycan are being opened for Norway. In order to keep his place in the priority queue for the vehicle, he was asked to pay Kr20,000 (about $2,250) on or before April 25.

In a statement to Teslarati, Johansen, who runs the Porsche Taycan Norway Facebook group, stated that Porsche’s reservation process for the Taycan was quick and straightforward. He was directed to a payment page for Norway-based customers, and after a quick credit card transaction, he found himself as one of Norway’s Porsche Taycan reservation holders. A confirmation email later sent to Johansen advised him to wait for a call from his favored Porsche dealer, where he would configure his Taycan according to his preferences.

In a follow-up email after his payment, Porsche stated that the reservations for the vehicle were only opened for Norway then, considering that the country is an “extraordinary market” for electric cars.

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“In Norway, we have an extraordinary market for electric cars, and we are currently the only country in the world to offer Porsche Taycan pre-booking. In other words, we are out early, asking for understanding that a lot of information about the car is not yet available.”

Earlier this month, Johansen received an update from the legacy carmaker, giving him free tickets to the upcoming 2018 Porsche Festival in Norway, which would be held on September 8-9. In an email about the event, Porsche stated that the complimentary tickets are a small way for the company to give back to early reservation holders for the all-electric vehicle. The final production version of the Taycan, after all, has not been unveiled to the public yet. Thus, reservation holders such as Johansen are counting on Porsche’s word that the final design of the vehicle would be akin to the stunning Mission E concept that still dominates the Taycan’s promotional materials today.

The 2018 Porsche Festival will feature a number of family-oriented events, such as LEGO motorsport-inspired activities, car shows, and go-carts. Mark Webber, a professional racing driver who was featured in a Mission E test drive video earlier this year, is also expected to be in attendance on the festival. With roughly more than 2,300 reservation holders for the Porsche Taycan in Norway as of date, Johansen is hoping that a teaser for the vehicle’s final production version would be unveiled sometime during the Porsche Festival.

Expectations are high that the Taycan would be released sometime in 2019. Johansen, however, believes that he would likely get his car around 2020. By that time, he is hoping to have the Porsche Taycan parked beside his family car, a Tesla Model S sedan with a (hopefully) refreshed interior, a slightly updated design, and 2170 batteries for even longer range.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla FSD mocks BMW human driver: Saves pedestrian from near miss

Tesla FSD anticipated a BMW driver’s lane drift before the human behind the wheel could react.

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A video posted to r/TeslaFSD this week put a sharp spotlight on Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software being able to react to pedestrian intent than an actual human driver behind the wheel. In the Reddit clip, a BMW driver can be seen rolling through a neighborhood street completely unaware of a pedestrian stepping in to cross. At the same time, a Tesla  driving on FSD had already begun slowing down before the pedestrian even began their attempt to cross the street The BMW kept moving, prompting the pedestrian to hop back, while the Tesla came to a stop and provide right-of-way for the human to safely cross.

That gap between what the BMW driver saw and what FSD had already processed is the story. Tesla FSD wasn’t reacting to a person in the street, rather it was reading the signals that a person was about to enter it based on the pedestrian’s movement, trajectory, and their trajectory to telegraph intent.

Tesla’s FSD is now built on an end-to-end neural network trained on billions of real-world miles, learning to interpret subtle human behavioral cues the same way an experienced human driver does instinctively. The difference is consistency. A human driver distracted for two seconds misses what FSD does not.

Tesla sues California DMV over Autopilot and FSD advertising ruling

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Reddit commenters in the thread were blunt about the BMW driver’s failure, with several pointing out that the pedestrian was visible well before the crossing. One response put it plainly that the car on FSD saw the situation developing before the human in the other car had registered there was a situation at all.

Tesla has published data showing FSD (Supervised) is 54% safer than a human driver, accumulated across billions of miles driven on the system. Elon Musk has said FSD v14 will outperform human drivers by a factor of two to three, and that v15 has “a shot” at a 10x improvement. Pedestrian safety is where the stakes are highest, and where intent prediction closes the gap fastest. At 30 mph, a car covers roughly 44 feet per second. An extra second of awareness from reading a person’s body language rather than waiting for them to step out is often the difference between a near miss and a fatality.

Video and community discussion: r/TeslaFSD on Reddit

FSD saves man from becoming a pancake. BMW driver nearly flattens him.
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Tesla Robotaxi gets a small but significant change

In the world of Tesla, where billion-dollar battery breakthroughs and autonomy milestones dominate headlines, a quiet design update can still pack a punch.

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Credit: David Moss | X

In the world of Tesla, where billion-dollar battery breakthroughs and autonomy milestones dominate headlines, a quiet design update can still pack a punch.

Last week in downtown Austin, sharp-eyed observers spotted a subtle but telling evolution on the Cybercab: a new “ROBOTAXI” logo graphic now graces the vehicle’s doors at Tesla’s Autonomy Popup.

What looks at first glance like a minor stylistic choice is, in fact, a deliberate rebranding move that hints at how the company envisions its robotaxi fleet fitting into everyday life.

The updated lettering is bold, graffiti-inspired, and unapologetically street-smart. Rendered in black with dripping white accents and a glowing yellow outline, the font evokes urban energy and playful irreverence.

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Gone is the sleek, minimalist typography that defined earlier Cybercab prototypes. In its place is something more human, almost rebellious.

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The new logo pops against the Cybercab’s smooth, metallic body, turning the autonomous pod into a rolling piece of public art rather than just another futuristic taxi.

Designers know that fonts are silent brand ambassadors. They shape perception before a single ride is taken. Tesla’s classic sans-serif aesthetic screams precision engineering and Silicon Valley cool.

The new Robotaxi script leans into accessibility and fun, suggesting the vehicle is approachable, not intimidating. For a product meant to ferry strangers through city streets 24/7, that matters. It signals that the robotaxi isn’t reserved for tech elites; it’s for everyone.

Tesla Cybercab spotted next to Model Y shows size comparison

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The timing is no accident. With regulatory approvals for unsupervised autonomy advancing and Tesla preparing to scale Cybercab production, the company is shifting from prototype showcase to fleet deployment.

A fresh logo helps differentiate the vehicles visually in dense urban environments—crucial for rider recognition and brand recall. It also aligns with Elon Musk’s long-standing ethos: make the future feel exciting, not sterile.

Small changes like this often foreshadow a larger strategy. Tesla has always obsessed over details—door handles, screen interfaces, even the curvature of a steering wheel.

Updating the Robotaxi font reflects the same meticulous care now applied to consumer-facing autonomy. It’s not just paint on metal; it’s a statement that the ride of the future should feel personal, memorable, and undeniably cool.

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In an industry racing toward self-driving fleets, Tesla’s willingness to evolve even the smallest visual cues shows confidence. A font won’t launch the robotaxi network, but it might just help millions climb aboard with a smile.

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Tesla makes latest announcement on Model S and Model X

The announcement follows Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s statement on the Q4 2025 earnings call in late January. Musk described the decision as an “honorable discharge” for the two vehicles, noting that production would wind down in Q2 2026.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has officially begun winding down production of its flagship Model S and Model X in the United States, notifying owners via email that the long-running models will soon reach the end of the line.

The email, sent to U.S. customers on March 27, opens with gratitude. “Model S and Model X marked the beginning of the world’s transition to electric transportation,” it reads. “These vehicles also made it possible for Tesla to develop the technology that would move our world toward autonomy.”

Tesla officially begins sunset of Model S and Model X

It then delivers the news directly: “As we make way for this autonomous future, Model S and Model X production will be ending. If you’d like to bring home a new Model S or Model X, order yours soon from our limited inventory.”

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The message closes with a simple thank-you: “Thank you for being part of our journey.”

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The announcement follows Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s statement on the Q4 2025 earnings call in late January. Musk described the decision as an “honorable discharge” for the two vehicles, noting that production would wind down in Q2 2026.

The move frees factory floor space at Fremont, California, for next-generation manufacturing, including Optimus humanoid robots and the upcoming Robotaxi platform.

Introduced in 2012 and 2015, respectively, the Model S and Model X were Tesla’s original halo cars. They proved EVs could outperform gasoline luxury vehicles in acceleration, range, and tech features while pioneering over-the-air updates and early autonomy hardware.

Although they never matched the volume of the Model 3 and Model Y, their engineering breakthroughs laid the foundation for the company’s current lineup and full self-driving development.

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Early adopters highlighted how the cars convinced them to invest in Tesla stock and the EV movement. Some U.S. owners who had not yet received the note voiced mild frustration, and international customers confirmed the outreach remains U.S.-only for now.

Tesla has not detailed an exact final production date beyond the Q2 2026 target or confirmed immediate replacements. Speculation continues about a possible Cybertruck-derived SUV, but the company’s public focus has shifted squarely to autonomy and robotics.

For buyers still interested in the S or X, the window is closing. Inventory is described as limited, and Tesla’s Korean division has already set a March 31 cutoff for new orders in that market. The email serves as both a farewell and final sales push, an elegant close to a chapter that helped define modern electric driving.

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