Tesla has finally updated the public about the development of its 4680 battery cells, giving new details regarding the development and performance of the new chemistry and additional details about the structural battery pack and how it is performing in crash tests.
4680 Battery Cell
Unveiled at Tesla Battery Day in September 2020, the 4680 battery cell is set to be arguably the most crucial technological development in the company’s mission to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy. During the presentation last year, CEO Elon Musk and VP of Powertrain Drew Baglino outlined the capabilities of the new 4680 battery cell, highlighting five times the energy, a sixteen percent increase in range, six times the power, for less money. The event revealed Tesla’s lengthy research into the 46-millimeter tabless cell and how it performed most efficiently in charging. At the event, Musk said that Tesla is “starting to ramp up production at our pilot 10 GWh factory just around the corner.” Since then, updates have been hard to come by, but we know that companies are building prototypes of the cell and giving them to Tesla in attempts to win a huge contract.
Tesla debuts new 4680 battery cell: 500% more energy, 6X power, range increase
Testing and Efficiency
Tesla said that it has successfully proven the performance and lifetime of the new cell through rigorous testing processes. As of right now, the only thing that remains is ironing out the manufacturing processes of the cell, which continue to plague Tesla’s production output.
The company stated:
“We have successfully validated performance and lifetime of our 4680 cells produced at our Kato facility in California. We are nearing the end of manufacturing validation at Kato: field quality and yield are at viable levels, and our focus is now on improving the 10% of manufacturing processes that currently bottleneck production output. While substantial progress has been made, we still have work ahead of us before we can achieve volume production.”
The cell’s development is evidently coming along great, according to the automaker’s analysis. The cell is set to be utilized in the Model Y produced at Giga Texas and Giga Berlin. Both facilities are set to begin manufacturing the all-electric crossover later this year.
Manufacturing has always been one of the most complex riddles that automakers, Tesla included, need to solve to improve efficiency and accuracy. It is a never-ending battle, and finding new and more effective ways to produce and manufacture products accurately and with high quality becomes more complex, despite technological advances. The volume production of the 4680 cell is being held up by the final 10% of manufacturing processes that need to be figured out. However, with less than a year of knowing about the facility, Tesla has evidently made tremendous strides in the manufacturing efforts of the cell, and the company could see robust developments and improvements in production after these bottlenecks are solved.
Finally, Tesla also shed more light on the development of the 4680 structural battery pack. Tesla outlined details on this at its Battery Day event as well, stating that the battery pack would be a part of the vehicle’s increased strength and rigidity. It all came down to design.
Credit: Tesla
“The non-cell portion of the battery has negative mass,” Musk said. “We saved more mass in the rest of the vehicle than in the non-cell portion of the battery. So how do you really minimize the mass of the battery? Make it negative.”
The design increased structural rigidity and stiffness, preventing deformation in the event of a crash. However, testing needed to be performed, and Tesla is doing it in-house. The company stated:
“Internal crash testing of our structural pack architecture with a single-piece front casting has been successful.”
Tesla beat Wall Street estimates by posting a revenue of $11.958 billion, non-GAAP Earnings per Share of $1.45, profitability of $1.3 billion, and a free cash flow of $619 million.
Tesla will hold its Q2 2021 Earnings Call at 5:30 PM EST, 2:30 PM PST.
Cybertruck
Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature
Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.
Tesla is set to activate a long-awaited Cybertruck feature, and no matter when you bought your all-electric pickup, it has the hardware capable of achieving what it is designed to do.
Tesla simply has to flip the switch, and it plans to do so in the near future.
Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, according to Not a Tesla App, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.
Tesla rolls out Active Road Noise Reduction for new Model S and Model X
The ANC feature suddenly appeared on the spec sheet for the Premium All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast trims, which are the two configurations that have been delivered since November 2023.
However, those trims have both had the ANC disabled, and although they are found in the Model S and Model X, and are active in those vehicles, Tesla is planning to activate them.
In Tesla’s Service Toolbox, it wrote:
“ANC software is not enabled on Cybertruck even though the hardware is installed.”
Tesla has utilized an ANC system in the Model S and Model X since 2021. The system uses microphones embedded in the front seat headrests to detect low-frequency road noise entering the cabin. It then generates anti-noise through phase-inverted sound waves to cancel out or reduce that noise, creating quieter zones, particularly around the vehicle’s front occupants.
The Model S and Model X utilize six microphones to achieve this noise cancellation, while the Cybertruck has just four.
Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
As previously mentioned, this will be activated through a software update, as the hardware is already available within Cybertruck and can simply be activated at Tesla’s leisure.
The delays in activating the system are likely due to Tesla Cybertruck’s unique design, which is unlike anything before. In the Model S and Model X, Tesla did not have to do too much, but the Cybertruck has heavier all-terrain tires and potentially issues from the aluminum castings that make up the vehicle’s chassis, which are probably presenting some challenges.
Unfortunately, this feature will not be available on the new Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive configuration, which was released last week.
News
Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
Tesla Model S and Model X customization options are beginning to thin for the first time as the closure of the two “sentimental” vehicles nears.
We are officially seeing the first options disappear as Tesla begins to work toward ending production of the two cars and the options that are available to those vehicles specifically.
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
🚨 Tesla Model S and Model X availability is thinning, as Tesla has officially shown that the Lunar Silver color option on both vehicles is officially sold out
To be fair, Frost Blue is still available so no need to freak out pic.twitter.com/YnwsDbsFOv
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 25, 2026
Tesla is making way for the Optimus humanoid robot project at the Fremont Factory, where the Model S and Model X are produced. The two cars are low-volume models and do not contribute more than a few percent to Tesla’s yearly delivery figures.
With CEO Elon Musk confirming that the Model S and Model X would officially be phased out at the end of the quarter, some of the options are being thinned out.
This is an expected move considering Tesla’s plans for the two vehicles, as it will make for an easier process of transitioning that portion of the Fremont plant to cater to Optimus manufacturing. Additionally, this is likely one of the least popular colors, and Tesla is choosing to only keep around what it is seeing routine demand for.
During the Q4 Earnings Call in January, Musk confirmed the end of the Model S and Model X:
“It is time to bring the Model S and Model X programs to an end with an honorable discharge. It is time to bring the S/X programs to an end. It’s part of our overall shift to an autonomous future.”
Fremont will now build one million Optimus units per year as production is ramped.
News
Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.
Tesla’s estimated delivery window for new Cybertruck Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive (AWD) orders in the United States has shifted to September–October 2026. This suggests that the vehicle’s sub-$60,000 variant is now effectively sold out until then.
The updated timeline was highlighted in a post on X by Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt, who noted that the estimated delivery window had moved from June 2026 to September-October 2026, “presumably due to strong demand.”
The Dual Motor AWD currently starts at $59,990 before incentives. Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.
If demand remains steady, the combination of a later delivery window and a pending price increase suggests Tesla is seeing sustained interest in the newly-introduced Cybertruck configuration. This was highlighted by Elon Musk on X, when he noted that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD’s introductory price will only be available for a limited time.
When the Cybertruck was first unveiled in November 2019, Tesla listed the Dual Motor AWD variant at $49,990. Adjusted for inflation, that figure equates to roughly $63,000 in 2026 dollars, based on cumulative U.S. inflation since 2019.
That context makes a potential post-February price in the $64,000 to $65,000 range less surprising, especially as material, labor, and manufacturing costs have shifted significantly over the past several years.
While Tesla has not announced a specific new MSRP, the updated delivery timeline and pricing note together suggest that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD could very well be the variant that takes the all-electric full-sized pickup truck to more widespread adoption.
Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature
Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
