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SpaceX’s first completed BFR spaceship section spotted in huge Port of L.A. tent
Described by CEO Elon Musk as “the first [completed] cylinder section” of SpaceX’s first BFR spaceship prototype, Teslarati’s West Coast photographer spotted the massive 9 meter (~30 foot) diameter carbon composite structure – looking exactly as it appeared in photos SpaceX provided during the Sept. 17 reveal – inside the company’s dedicated BFR fabrication tent.
That’s the first BFR airframe/tank barrel section made of a new carbon fiber material
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 18, 2018
Located at the Port of Los Angeles, SpaceX erected a huge, temporary tent at a leased berth in December 2017, choosing to begin fabrication of the first BFR composite structures in a more impromptu manner rather than waiting for the completion of lengthy regulatory processes and many more months of construction of a dedicated Mars rocket factory, also to be sited at Port of LA. Both the factory and temporary facility were located in a port (rather than at SpaceX’s already-established Hawthorne factory) due to the simple impracticality of transporting 9m-diameter parts through downtown Los Angeles, estimated to cost a minimum of several million dollars one way from a spattering of past transport projects.
Nine months after the structure was little more than a metal skeleton, SpaceX’s tented facility is now a mature in situ manufacturing wing of the company, evidenced by the fact that SpaceX has already completed its first full-scale composite section (both a section of the spaceship’s fuselage and one of its propellant tanks) and is pushing ahead into full builds of composite tank domes and the spaceship prototype’s Raptor engine section. It may not be practical as a long-term solution, and that certainly is not the plan, but SpaceX seems to be having very little difficulty growing into the eccentric aerospace composites manufacturing hub.
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- Yusaku Maezawa stands on the first BFR composite tank/fuselage section prior to his Sept. 17 announcement. (Yusaku Maezawa)
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- SpaceX has already completed the first of many carbon-composite sections of its prototype spaceship. (SpaceX)
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- SpaceX’s BFR composites tent had a flap open on September 18th, showing off the very same tank section revealed in a presentation by CEO Elon Musk the day before. (Pauline Acalin)
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- Inside the BFR tent, another tent. Never too many tents. (Pauline Acalin)
Judging from photos of the fresh composite tank section peeking its head out of the tent flap, the question of “How does SpaceX move this outside?” becomes rather unavoidable, and it seems that the plan is to fabricate and assemble the vast majority of the prototype spaceship’s monolithic composite structures before quite literally cutting out a section or partially disassembling the tent.
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Thankfully, the dedicated BFR factory SpaceX is now in the process of building happens to be just a few miles away from the tent that manufacturing work is currently housed in, and that should make for relatively easy barge transport to said factory once its first phase of construction is complete (as early as Q2-Q4 2019). As of September 1st, the future location of that factory is currently going through gradual phases of site preparation, most notably including the installation of below-ground utilities and general surveying, dirt-moving, and leveling of the actual ground the factory will be built on.
As of 9/1… pic.twitter.com/r2nF9CgdAc
— Pauline Acalin (@w00ki33) September 18, 2018
Perhaps as early as H2 2019, SpaceX will begin to move its first complete or partially-complete BFR spaceship prototype from its tented production facility to the Southern Coast of Texas, where it will begin a series of hot-fire hop tests to prove out its Raptor engines, aerodynamic characteristics, structural composition, and more.
For prompt updates, on-the-ground perspectives, and unique glimpses of SpaceX’s rocket recovery fleet check out our brand new LaunchPad and LandingZone newsletters!
On Friday, Tesla launched the Outlet Adapter that enabled Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) energy transfer, meaning owners could essentially utilize their cars as a power source for things like laptops, electric grills, or string lights.
However, even owners of some of the newest builds of the Model Y are finding out that their cars are not compatible with the new $80 accessory, stirring up a new complaint among members of the community.
Tesla launches V2L Outlet Adapter for Premium Model Y in the U.S.
Upon the release of the Outlet Adapter on Friday, I signed into my Tesla account to order the accessory. However, I was met with the dreaded “This product is not compatible with your 2026 Model Y” message at the bottom of the screen.
Some said their accounts also displayed the same message, but they ordered anyway. However, they might be surprised to find that this is no mistake; some of the newest Model Ys do not have the appropriate Power Conversion System (PCS). Mine, which was ordered on this day last year and delivered on August 31, has the old 48A, single-phase PCS.
Vehicles with the new, two-piece PCS are able to utilize V2L features on their cars:
🚨 Looks like you can hit the Parts Catalog and enter your VIN and check to see if your Model Y will be able to use the adapter for V2L.https://t.co/QA9zRk7n2k
h/t to @SawyerMerritt for finding this out.
-I am sad but this isn’t a huge loss. https://t.co/AYpI12QVV9 pic.twitter.com/LRFSrtRywo
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 16, 2026
Obviously, it’s disappointing. Many owners have taken delivery this year and still can not utilize the Outlet Adapter because their cars feature the old PCS:
Took delivery in February of 2026. I have the older one, so not going to work for me pic.twitter.com/RcOVq8gvvT
— Russell (@QuietTesla) August 16, 2026
It looks like if you have one of these older PCS units, you can upgrade, but the parts alone are $1,750, and that’s before Tesla adds labor for installing. It is honestly more logical to get some kind of portable power supply or power station at that point.
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It is great that Tesla has enabled V2L for Model Y vehicles, but it is also unfortunate that vehicles that are less than one year old are not able to take advantage of this awesome new feature.
With that being said, it truly is a first-world problem; can you really complain when Full Self-Driving is available, maintenance is incredibly inexpensive, and the car has been so good through a year of ownership?
Tesla has launched a new Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) Outlet Adapter for Premium Model Y vehicles in the United States, meaning you can now power devices like laptops or light strings with your vehicle’s battery.
It appears the capability will be available for any Model Y Premium trim, including those that were purchased prior to the Adapter being launched. It will also only impact Juniper Model Y vehicles, so the first-gen owners will unfortunately not have access to this capability.
If your Model Y was purchased before Tesla renamed the trim levels to “Premium” and “Standard,” it does not seem to be compatible. My Model Y is technically a Premium build, as it is the Long Range All-Wheel-Drive. However, Tesla says it is not compatible with my vehicle.
🚨 Tesla has launched the Outlet Adapter for Model Y Premium in the U.S., enabling V2L capability for all Premium trims (that’s what it appears to be as it is available for purchase with all Premium trims)
It’s available for $80. 2.4kW max power and rated for 120v, 20A pic.twitter.com/lDxlVIk5s8
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 14, 2026
For $80, you can now utilize your car as a portable charger for small appliances or devices. This is perfect for things like tailgates, concerts, or camping, as you can now plug in devices that you might use. Those string lights for camping? That laptop for the other games that are on at the tailgate?
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They’ll both utilize energy from your Tesla’s battery to be powered. This is the first time Tesla has expanded the capability to vehicles outside of the Model Y Performance and Cybertruck. However, this feature has been highly requested by owners for an extended period of time.
Tesla launched the Outlet Adapter in China last year:
Tesla China rolls out Model Y L V2L adapter, and it’s free for early owners
You will need the Mobile Connector to operate the Outlet Adapter: the Outlet Adapter will plug into the main housing of the Mobile Connector, where the appropriate adapter to charge your vehicle will plug in.
It is rated for 120 volts and 20 amps, and has a max power rating of 2.4kW.
You can buy it here from Tesla for $80.
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Tesla is nearing its long-awaited unveiling of the all-electric Tesla Roadster, a new report from The Information claims, as the company has said several times this year that the event would take place “soon.”
Now, it appears there is movement on Tesla’s end regarding when it will happen.
The report says that Tesla will unveil the Roadster as soon as this month with a SpaceX version that will utilize cold-gas thrusters to help the vehicle float for a short period of time. This is something CEO Elon Musk has talked about with the Roadster for years.
🚨 The Information is reporting this morning that Tesla is ready to unveil the “flying” Roadster as soon as this month
It’s almost here, folks. pic.twitter.com/IdL4atsucQ
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 14, 2026
Additionally, due to the delays, Tesla explored “a variety of designs” for the Roadster, potentially planning to abandon the design it showed off for the first time in 2017 and adopting an entirely new aesthetic.
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According to The Information, Tesla considered utilizing a repurposed Model S Plaid and even wanted to upgrade the look to something like a Lamborghini Countach.
We’ve heard all of these things before, including teases about the date and how “soon” the Roadster will finally be ready to be shown off to the world (for the second time). Musk said that the event would occur in April, then May, then Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen continued to say it would be coming “soon.”
We do expect to see the Roadster by the end of the year, and now with this new report swirling, it appears it could be sooner rather than later.
The wait has been incredibly long, but there is likely a good reason for it. Tesla’s desire to make the Roadster the craziest vehicle on the road was non-negotiable, and it likely took a lot of time and resources to develop and perfect into something that was safe and suitable for a vehicle like this.
Tesla V2L adapter for Model Y stirs up a new complaint among owners
Tesla launches V2L Outlet Adapter for Premium Model Y in the U.S.
