

News
Tesla China denies rumors of production cuts at Gigafactory Shanghai
Tesla China has denied rumors of potential production output cuts at Gigafactory Shanghai. The company’s China division officially stated that several media reports speculating that Tesla would cut production by as much as 20 percent in Shanghai were “untrue.”
Just hours before Tesla’s announcement of over 100,000 vehicle sales in November in China, a new company record, several media outlets reported the company was weighing its options to potentially trim output at the China plant by 20 percent in December.
The Tesla China production cut rumors began last Friday when Rob Maurer of Tesla Podcast said that the company was considering cutting production by roughly 4,500 units per week, beginning on December 11. Maurer said the news came from a reliable source but that it had not been verified by a second source3, and it was possible it could be untrue.
Bloomberg said, citing people familiar with the matter, that Tesla was set to trim production targets by 20 percent across the plant, without mentioning a specific reason, such as cooling demand. In its report on the situation, Reuters stated that Model Y production at the plant would be trimmed by 20 percent, not vehicle production as a whole.
Following the publication of the reports and Tesla’s sales numbers in China in November, notable bulls called on CEO Elon Musk to make a statement regarding the alleged production cuts, which did not seem to align with typical moves the company makes at the end of the year. After requesting a statement, Tesla China officially denied rumors of the production cuts, stating it was “untrue.”
TESLA CHINA: MEDIA REPORT OF DECEMBER OUTPUT CUT AT ITS SHANGHAI PLANT UNTRUE$TSLA
— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) December 5, 2022
Tesla has routinely stepped up production rates at its factories toward the end of the year in an attempt to drive delivery numbers up. Competition in China has increased, but Tesla’s demand from countries utilizing China-built Model 3 and Model Y units has not.
Tesla’s most recent indication of non-cooling demand for China-built vehicles came this morning with reports of over 100,000 car sales during the month.
Tesla was the second-best-selling car company in China in November, trailing only BYD, who had a monumental 229,942 units sold in November.
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News
Tesla might be doing away with a long-included feature with its vehicles
It appears Tesla is mulling the possibility of not including key cards with its vehicles any longer.

Tesla might be doing away with a long-included feature with its vehicles, as it could be looking to phase out something that very few owners utilize.
Tesla Key Cards are included when you purchase your vehicle, and they assist in the initial setup process. However, after that, they are not super useful or relevant to the owner, as many rely on their Phone Key through the Tesla App to access their cars.
As such, it appears Tesla is mulling the possibility of not including key cards with its vehicles any longer. According to some language that has been removed from vehicle Owner’s Manuals that talks about the inclusion of key cards with the car upon delivery:
“Tesla provides you with two Model 3/Y key cards, designed to fit in your wallet.”
That sentence was removed from Owner’s Manuals, according to Not a Tesla App, which first spotted the change.
Tesla Model 3 owner implants RFID key card chip into her arm as ultimate hack to unlock door
Interestingly, the timing of the phrase being removed from Owner’s Manuals comes just after Tesla launched its “affordable” Standard Models, and could be a small money-saving measure for the company.
Key Cards have been utilized by Tesla for its cars since 2017, as they became an included accessory with the vehicle. They still have their place and are useful for other applications, such as Valet service and even to be used by car owners if their phone is dead or if someone else needs to get into the car.
They can also be purchased in the Tesla Shop for $40.
It seems as if Tesla is planning to have owners be completely reliant on the Phone Key, which is more useful and convenient than carrying around the Key Cards.
Although it is minor, it is yet another strategy Tesla is using to trim any sort of costs that can be eliminated and could save money in the long run.
News
Elon Musk confirms Tesla FSD V14.2 will see widespread rollout
Musk shared the news in a post on social media platform X.

Elon Musk has confirmed that Tesla will be implementing a wide rollout of Full Self-Driving (FSD) V14 with the system’s V14.2 update. Musk shared the news in a post on social media platform X.
FSD V14.1.2 earns strong praise from testers
Musk’s comment came as a response to Tesla owner and longtime FSD tester AI DRIVR, who noted that it might be time to release Full Self-Driving to the fleet because V14.1.2 has already become very refined.
“95% of the indecisive lane changes and braking have been fixed in FSD 14.1.2. I haven’t touched my steering wheel in two days. I think it’s time, Tesla AI,” the longtime FSD tester wrote.
AI DRIVR’s comment received quite a bit of support from fellow Tesla drivers, some of whom noted that the improvements that were implemented in V14.1.2 are substantial. Others also agreed that it’s time for FSD to see a wide release.
In his reply to the FSD tester, CEO Elon Musk noted that FSD V14’s wide release would happen with V14.2. “14.2 for widespread use,” Musk wrote in his reply.
Mad Max mode makes headlines
One of the key features that was introduced with FSD’s current iteration is Mad Max mode, which allows for higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than the previous “Hurry” mode. Videos and social media posts from FSD testers have shown the system deftly handling complex traffic, merging seamlessly, and maintaining an assertive but safe driving behavior with Mad Max mode engaged.
Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy recently noted in a post on X that Mad Max mode was built to handle congested daytime traffic, making it extremely useful for drivers who tend to find themselves in heavy roads during their daily commutes. With Musk now hinting that FSD V14.2 will go on wide release, it might only be a matter of time before the larger Tesla fleet gets to experience the notable improvements of FSD’s V14 update.
News
Multiple Tesla Cybercab units spotted at Giga Texas crash test facility
The vehicles were covered, but one could easily recognize the Cybercab’s sleek lines and compact size.

It appears that Tesla is ramping up its activities surrounding the development and likely initial production of the Cybercab at Giga Texas. This was, at least, hinted at in a recent drone flyover of the massive electric vehicle production facility in Austin.
Cybercab sightings fuel speculations
As observed by longtime Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer, Tesla had several covered Cybercab units outside the facility’s crash testing facility at the time of his recent flyover. The vehicles were covered, but one could easily recognize the Cybercab’s sleek lines and compact size. Tegtmeyer also observed during his flyover that production of the Model Y Standard seems to be hitting its pace.
The drone operator noted that the seven covered Cybercabs might be older prototypes being decommissioned or new units awaiting crash tests. Either scenario points to a ramp-up in Cybercab activity at Giga Texas, however. “In either case, this is another datapoint indicating production is getting closer to happening,” Tegtmeyer wrote on X, highlighting that the autonomous two-seaters were quite exciting to see.
Cybercab production targets
This latest sighting follows reports of renewed Cybercab appearances at both the Fremont Factory and Giga Texas. A test unit was recently spotted driving on Giga Texas’ South River Road. Another Cybercab, seen at Tesla’s Fremont Factory, appeared to be manually driven, suggesting that the vehicle’s current prototypes may still be produced with temporary steering controls.
The Tesla Cybercab is designed to be the company’s highest-volume vehicle, with CEO Elon Musk estimating that the autonomous two-seater should see an annual production rate of about 2 million units per year. To accomplish this, Tesla will be building the Cybercab using its “Unboxed” process, which should help the vehicle’s production line achieve outputs that are more akin to consumer electronics production lines.
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