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Tesla’s 400-mile Model S is a subtle update, but it’s a chilling reminder to rival carmakers
There is a particularly interesting trend happening in the electric vehicle sector. While it is undeniable that Tesla is leading the industry’s shift to EVs, veteran carmakers are prone to claim that they have or are developing technology that is at par or superior to the electric car maker’s innovations. The Tesla Model S’ 402-mile EPA rating subtly sends a message that this is not necessarily the case.
For some time now, there has been a lot of talk surrounding Tesla and its upcoming Battery Day event. The company has been pretty thin on the specifics of the event, but speculations are abounding that discussions will be held surrounding the company’s next-generation batteries. Tesla has not formally hinted at the details of these batteries, though all signs point to cells that would be able to last a million miles. Discussions about other innovations such as cobalt-free cells for China-made Model 3s are also expected to be held at the event.
Similar to how vehicles like the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-tron were dubbed as “Tesla Killers” in previous years, veteran automakers such as GM appear to be keen on establishing the idea that it is not being left behind in the EV race. Just last month, for example, GM Executive Vice President Doug Parks stated that the automaker’s own “million-mile” battery is “almost there.” Parks stated that there are multiple teams within GM that are working on zero cobalt batteries as well.

Such statements from GM only validate Tesla’s points about electric vehicles. The fact that the veteran automaker’s battery plans seem to be inspired, at least in some way, by the younger EV maker means that the auto industry has now reached a point where electric powered transportation is a given. That being said, there is very little doubt that the Model S’ updated EPA ratings, which show that the 100 kWh flagship sedan could go 402 miles on a single charge, is likely sending some chills down the spine of Tesla’s rivals.
As noted by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, every Model S that has been produced since January has been equipped with a 402 mile range. This feat, as stated by the company in an announcement on its official website, was accomplished through a variety of means, including significant mass reduction, new aero wheels that optimize efficiency, increased drive unit efficiencies, and optimized regenerative braking.
What this means is that Tesla was able to draw out 400 miles of EPA range from a 100 kWh battery pack using its current battery technology. The 400-mile Model S today is just a hyper-optimized version of the Raven series that came out last year. Unless Tesla states otherwise on Battery Day, it appears that the current generation Raven Model S is not yet equipped with the company’s next-generation million-mile batteries.

It should be noted that other companies have pledged to release vehicles with a range of 400 miles as well. Electric pickup maker Rivian’s flagship R1T pickup truck goes 400 miles too, but that vehicle is equipped with a 180 kWh battery pack. The GMC Hummer EV, widely speculated to be a legitimate competitor to the Tesla Cybertruck, is also poised to be released with a 400-mile range. But just like the Rivian R1T, there’s a good chance that its battery pack will be substantially bigger than the 100 kWh pack used in Tesla’s flagship sedan.
Of course, it would be easy to argue that larger vehicles like the Rivian R1T and the GMC Hummer EV would obviously need more batteries due to their size, but it should be noted that Tesla’s Cybertruck, which will likely have a battery that’s far larger than the Model S’ 100 kWh pack, has some impressive range as well. During its unveiling, Elon Musk noted that the all-electric pickup’s tri-motor variant will have over 500 miles of range. The specifics of the Cybertruck’s battery have not been disclosed by Tesla yet, though it is almost certain that it will be utilizing the company’s million mile battery cells.
So what does this mean for the Model S? With a million-mile battery and a 100 kWh pack, the flagship sedan’s succeeding generations will most likely achieve a range estimate that’s even more impressive than its current 402-mile EPA rating. And this, ultimately, is something that will be very hard to meet or compete with, especially among veteran automakers that have not dedicated the same amount of time and effort into developing battery technology from the ground up.
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Tesla Full Self-Driving shows stunning maneuver in Europe to silence skeptics
In a striking demonstration of autonomous driving prowess, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system recently showcased its capabilities on the narrow rural roads of the Netherlands. Captured in two in-car videos, the system encountered scenarios that would challenge even the most experienced human drivers.
Tesla Full Self-Driving, fresh on the heels of its approval for operation on European roads for the first time, showed off a stunning maneuver that will certainly silence any skeptics on the continent.
Fresh off its approval in the Netherlands, Full Self-Driving is working toward a significant expansion into more parts of Europe.
In a striking demonstration of autonomous driving prowess, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system recently showcased its capabilities on the narrow rural roads of the Netherlands. Captured in two in-car videos, the system encountered scenarios that would challenge even the most experienced human drivers.
In the first clip, a wide tractor occupied more than half the lane on a tight two-way road. Rather than braking abruptly or forcing a collision risk, FSD smoothly edged the vehicle onto the adjacent bike path—using the extra space with precision—before seamlessly returning to the lane once clear.
The second clip was equally demanding: while overtaking a group of cyclists, an oncoming car approached at speed.
FSD maintained a safe, minimal buffer to the cyclists while timing the pass perfectly, avoiding any swerve or hesitation that could unsettle passengers or other road users.
People wonder if FSD is safe on narrow European roads. Well have a look what it did when a tractor took up more than half of the road or when overtaking bicycles with fast oncoming traffic. pic.twitter.com/z37Csa09sP
— Chanan Bos (@ChananBos) April 14, 2026
This maneuver highlights FSD’s advanced spatial reasoning and predictive planning. On roads often under three meters wide, with no room for error, the system calculated available clearance in real time, incorporated shoulder and path geometry, and executed a controlled deviation without compromising safety.
It treated the bike path as a legitimate extension of navigable space, something many drivers might hesitate to do, while respecting Dutch road norms and cyclist priority.
Such feats align closely with a growing library of impressive FSD maneuvers documented on camera worldwide.
In urban Amsterdam, for instance, FSD has navigated the world’s densest cyclist environments, weaving through hundreds of unpredictable bike movements on canal-side streets with tram tracks and pedestrians.
One uncut drive showed it yielding smoothly at crossings, overtaking where needed, and even handling a near-perfect auto-park in a tight residential spot, demonstrating the same low-speed precision seen in the rural clips.
Teslas using FSD have tackled turbo roundabouts in the Netherlands, complex multi-lane circles notorious for geometry challenges, merging confidently while yielding to traffic. Similar clips depict smooth handling of construction zones, emergency vehicle pull-overs, and gated parking barriers, where the car stops precisely, waits for clearance, and proceeds without driver input.
Collectively, these examples illustrate FSD’s evolution toward handling the unpredictable.
The rural Netherlands maneuvers aren’t isolated. Instead, they reflect a pattern of spatial awareness, cyclist deference, and traffic anticipation seen from city streets to highways.
As FSD continues refining through real-world data, videos like this one are certainly building a compelling case for its readiness on Europe’s varied roads.
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Tesla utilizes its ‘Rave Cave’ for new awesome safety feature
Part of the massive interior overhaul of both the Model 3 “Highland” and Model Y “Juniper” was the addition of interior accent lighting to help bring out the mood of the vehicle, increase the customization of the interior, and to create a unique listening experience.
Tesla is utilizing its ‘Rave Cave’ for an awesome new safety feature that will arrive with the upcoming Spring Update for 2026.
Part of the massive interior overhaul of both the Model 3 “Highland” and Model Y “Juniper” was the addition of interior accent lighting to help bring out the mood of the vehicle, increase the customization of the interior, and to create a unique listening experience.
Tesla added a Sync Lights feature that will strobe the accent strips with the beat of the music.
It is one of the most unique and one of the coolest non-functional features of a Tesla, as it does not improve the driving of the vehicle, but makes it a cool and personal addition to the interior.
However, Tesla is going to take it one step further, as the Rave Cave lights will now be used for blind spot recognition. This feature will be added as the Spring 2026 Update starts to roll out.
A lot of CRAZY new features coming with Tesla’s 2026 Spring Update, including a new FSD app!
– Self-Driving App (AI4 hardware): New app in App Launcher > Self-Driving for one-tap FSD subscriptions, activation guides, and ongoing stats.
– “Hey Grok”: Voice-activated Grok with… https://t.co/ljeYPlq9Qt— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) April 13, 2026
Tesla writes:
“Accent lights now turn red when an object is in your blind spot and your turn signal is engaged, or when an approaching object is detected while parked.”
This neat new safety feature will now increase the likelihood of a driver, who is operating their Tesla manually, of seeing the blind spot warnings that are currently available on the A pillar and on the center touchscreen.
These new alerts will now warn drivers of cross traffic as they back out of a parking space with little to no visibility of what is coming. It is a great new addition that will only increase the safety of the vehicles, while also utilizing something that is already installed in these specific Model 3 and Model Y units.
The Model 3 and Model Y were the central focus of the Spring 2026 Update, especially considering the fact that the Model S and Model X are basically gone, with only a few hundred units left. Additionally, Tesla included new Immersive Sound and Car Visualization for the Model 3 and Model Y specifically in this new update.
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Tesla parked 50+ Cybercabs outside its Texas Factory with some crash tested
Dozens of Tesla Cybercabs have been spotted at Giga Texas crash testing facility ahead of launch.
Drone footage captured by longtime Giga Texas observer Joe Tegtmeyer shows over 50 units of Tesla Cybercab at the Austin factory campus, including several units clustered by Tesla’s on-site crash testing facility.
The outbound lot at Gigafactory Texas sits just outside the factory exit and serves as the primary staging area where finished vehicles are held before being loaded onto transport carriers or dispatched for validation testing. On any given day, the lot holds a mix of Model Y and Cybertruck units alongside the growing Tesla Cybercab fleet, as can be seen in the drone footage captured by Joe Tegtmeyer.
Roughly 50 Cybercab units are visible across the campus, parked in tight organized rows. Most of the units visible still carry steering wheels and pedals, temporary additions Tesla included to satisfy current safety regulations while the vehicles accumulate real-world data ahead of full regulatory approval for a steering wheel-free design. Tesla operates dedicated Crash Labs at both its Giga Texas and Fremont facilities that are purpose-built for controlled structural crash tests. Historically, automakers begin intensive crash testing roughly one to two months before volume production kicks off. The Cybertruck followed almost exactly that pattern. The Cybercab appears to be on the same track facility that we first saw back in October 2025. The first production Cybercab rolled off the Giga Texas line on February 17, 2026. Volume production is now targeted for April. Musk previously wrote on X that “the early production rate will be agonizingly slow, but eventually end up being insanely fast,” and separately stated Tesla is targeting at least 2 million Cybercab units per year. Commercial robotaxi service in Austin is targeted for late 2026.


